RICHMOND, VA - The United Fresh 2019 Convention and Expo is just around the corner and with June nearly upon us, the team at Magic Sun Farms is preparing to showcase an exciting portfolio for attendees in Chicago, Illinois.
Sales Manager Anthony (Tony) Otto joins me in the run-up to the show to dish on the Magic Sun message and vision for United Fresh.
“This year, we will be featuring our new snacking line, including grape tomatoes, organic grape tomatoes, and medley tomatoes. We have also seen an increase in demand for our extra-large organic beefsteak variety which is a really eye-catching element to bring to the floor,” Tony tells me.
When I ask Tony why the snacking focus has become such a big part of Magic Sun’s portfolio, he reflects that the company made the decision to begin harvesting snacking tomatoes because the consumer demand has changed.
“Shoppers want the high-flavor, versatility, convenience, and shelf-life that comes with these smaller offerings. The addition of a snacking line really fills out our portfolio and gives us an exceptional line-up of tomato offerings,” he shares. “We are continuing to grow and expand with new greenhouse additions bringing us to just under 200 acres of hydroponic greenhouse space spread out over several of the best high-elevation growing areas in Mexico.”
The new offerings, plus Magic Sun’s improved logistics, will help the company to better serve its retail and wholesale partners this year.
The more competitive the fresh produce landscape becomes, the more important the need becomes to build lasting relationships for long-term success with buying partners.
“There are many benefits to working with a year-round, integrated grower like Magic Sun,” Tony explains. “We offer a full-line of tomatoes, including organic options, delivered direct from our farms for the best quality and the freshest possible product. We take pride in the great service levels that we are able to give to our customers.”
As a grower-owned company, Magic Sun has threaded a strong sense of ownership and pride in growing and marketing its tomatoes throughout its team and operations.
“We truly want to exceed expectations and bring the best product to our customers. There has been a lot of excitement over the last couple of years surrounding our new branding, new organics, our snacking line and our team continues to grow as we reach new milestones,” Tony tells me.
Check out the Magic Sun portfolio as well as the team behind the program at United Fresh booth #9019 in Chicago, IL, on June 10-12 and enjoy all that the show has to offer!
ESSEN, GERMANY - German grocer Aldi has taken another step toward retail-world domination, planning to test out brick-and-mortar stores in China. The retailer has been eyeing the China market since 2017, when it began selling items online through Alibaba’s Tmall website. This would be its first foray into physical locations in the country.
“They are positioned as pilot stores, where retail approaches will be trialled and adjusted according to data and feedback from customers,” an Aldi spokesperson commented. “This new store format has been customised and tailored specifically for the China market to better understand and interact with Chinese consumers.”
The two pilot stores will open next week in Shanghai, in the Minhang and Jing’an districts, according to This is Money. Because European products are in high demand in China, Aldi plans to stock the grocery stores with many U.K. products as well as cow’s milk and ice cream from Australia and a pork knuckle with sauerkraut and roast potato as a tribute to its German heritage. Aldi eventually plans to open 100 stores in China in the coming years.
Is this the first step toward a global retail takeover? AndNowUKnow will report.
CASTROVILLE, CA - The results are in, and Ocean Mist® Farms is walking away from spring with gold, gold, gold! Thanks to its latest spring marketing campaign, Reach for the Gold, the grower and marketer of fresh artichokes has reinforced its brand position as the gold standard in artichoke production. Wielding unique strategies like weekly email trivia, social media posts, and advertising campaigns to both trade and consumer audiences, Ocean Mist Farms engaged its existing database of 63,000+ shoppers and invigorated its brand messaging.
“We have had an exciting spring season launching a marketing campaign that expresses so well the expertise and quality that the Ocean Mist Farms brand had been built on,” said Diana McClean, Senior Director of Marketing. “Our sales results tell us that trade partners and shoppers alike understand that our commitment to maintaining the gold standard in artichoke production equates to a superior quality and flavor that is hard to beat. And, of course, our shoppers have played a critical role in helping to identify their needs and address them through ongoing product innovations.”
The campaign helped drive consumers’ attention to a new Reach for the Gold webpage, which informed visitors about how Ocean Mist Farms is committed to upholding the gold standard in artichoke production. Reach for the Gold also helped 10 retailers drive foot traffic to stores via an individualized social media ad campaign and email marketing support.
Another way Ocean Mist Farms caught shoppers’ attention once in-store was with new, on-pack messaging, featuring gold standard stickers on clamshells and gold standard petal inserts on bulk artichokes. According to a press release, shopper preferences indicate that typically two to four artichokes are purchased at a time. As a result, the grower launched a new 4-pack clamshell with size 30 artichokes, which joined other easy and convenient packages like the 2-count Season & Steam artichoke package.
All of these marketing efforts on Ocean Mist Farms’ part led to nearly two million brand impressions and over 140,000 confirmed shopper engagements in a one-month period, as well as an increase in retail sales of 20 to 30 percent with various retailers across the U.S.
Last but not least, Ocean Mist Farms is wrapping up its spring season with a bang. The grower will be sponsoring the Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival and sharing the joy of artichokes with attendees of the 60th annual event, taking place June 1-2, 2019 in Monterey, California.
For more of the freshest produce news, AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
SACRAMENTO, CA - You may be crying because you didn’t win, or maybe it’s because of Bako Sweet’s® abundance of sweet onions, in which case, it’s a good cry. With the company’s most recent Quiz Quix, we all got a peek into the world of sweet onions, but only two proved they had the right stuff when it came to onion knowledge. These lucky winners took home a cool hundo as their prize, but isn’t the best prize just knowing that you did a good job? Just kidding, cold hard cash is the best prize, and these two winners have plans for how they’ll be spending their well-earned reward.
“I just can’t believe I really won, I just love participating and testing my industry knowledge in the Quiz Quix! My winnings will be put to great use,” said buy-side winner, Betty Tomao, Fresh Buyer Produce Department, Supply Chain for Save Mart. “I am on vacation next week; we are flying back to Alabama to see my five-month-old granddaughter... Looks like I get to spoil her a little bit more.”
Betty sure showed off her onion smarts, and it sounds like her granddaughter is about to reap the benefits! Congratulations, Betty!
Our supply-side winner, Ernesto Perez, Custom Development for Famous Software, has decided to take a charitable approach, with a gesture of appreciation for his sales team. Well done, Ernesto!
“Prize money will be used to purchase lunch for the Famous Sales team who gave me inspiration to complete the quiz. Without them I’d be paying for lunch out of pocket,” Ernesto said.
Take a peek at our leaderboard below to see how tight the competition was for this onion quiz:
The Quiz Quix winners nabbed perfect scores, but not all of us were so lucky.
The most missed question on the quiz was:
What level of supply will be available from this year’s harvest of Bako Sweet sweet onions?
Correct answer:
Consistent supply
Didn’t do so well this round? Buff up on your onion knowledge and practice for the next Quiz Quix by checking out the link below!
Make sure you’re subscribed to AndNowUKnow’s newsletter to be in-the-know for The Snack Magazine contests, industry news, and the chance to win our next quiz!
Sign in through your email or one of several social media accounts to join in the next Quiz Quix, and maybe you might just be a winner.
Quiz Quix is our way of encouraging a little healthy competition within the industry, and of course, to have fun. Signing in will give us a token to verify you and enables us to put your name in the ranking. It does not give us access to more than your name and email address—we value your security. Participants must have a valid email address registered in their individual name in order to play.
Congratulations again to Betty and Ernesto! Way to go guys!
FLOWER, CA - The Bee Sweet Citrus sales team is gearing up for another successful summer import program as California's citrus domestic season nears an end. Bee Sweet Citrus receives imported Clementines, Navel oranges, Cara Cara navels and lemons during the months of June through October. The company's sales team oversees all import clearance, logistics, inventory, and conducts weekly market analysis calls with its international partners.
"As a grower, packer, and shipper of premium citrus, our team takes pride knowing that we can provide product to our consumers year-round," said Joe Berberian, Sales Representative. "Over the last 15 years, we've been working closely with our Chilean partners to ensure that we can implement a successful, no-gap transition of citrus to our consumers; and we're excited to kick-off another great season."
According to the company’s press release, the company's food safety and production teams check that all product is certified and audited in food safety and sustainability to ensure that all imported product is safe, fresh, and meets Bee Sweet's standards in quality.
“As a team, we work hard to make sure that our product not only meets, but exceeds, our consumer’s expectations,” stated Jesus Medina, Food Safety Manager. “During our import season, our citrus is monitored under a strict CTPAT program, and we require that all of our Chilean product is harvested from ranches that are PrimusGFS and GAP certified.”
Led by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a voluntary program, the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program oversees the product’s safety at every step of its supply chain. This ensures that all of Bee Sweet’s imported product is monitored over-seas and is safe upon its arrival to the U.S.
"All imported citrus is sent straight to our facility where it's re-graded to ensure high quality," said Jason Sadoian, Sales Representative. "Our customers also have the option to re-pack the fruit to any specific pack style that they prefer during the program."
All of Bee Sweet’s Chilean partners harvest from ranches like its domestic product that are PrimusGFS and GAP certified. To obtain these certifications, ranches are audited based on its growing methods, its food safety program(s), and its product handling methods.
Berberian added that premium citrus is a necessity for the company’s consumers. The company has the ability to meet consumer demand year-round through its summer import program.
For more updates regarding Bee Sweet's summer import program, keep checking back to AndNowUKnow.
TORONTO, ONTARIO - Metro’s Vickers Road distribution center is getting a $400 million makeover that includes replacing and expanding its facilities with a new refrigerated warehouse, distribution center, and administrative offices. According to news source toronto.com, the project will total over 540,000 square feet.
“This is a really exciting thing to do for reinvestment in the city,” said project consultant Rick Pennycooke at a community council meeting last week, according to the news source. “This is going to be the latest and greatest in distribution technology for food distribution.”
The news source also noted that the Etobicoke York community council has endorsed city planning recommendations for a zoning bylaw amendment, with the council voting on the recommendation on June 18, 2019.
The project is expected to create 600 jobs for the Toronto area.
For more of the latest news like this, keep following AndNowUKnow.
NOGALES, AZ - The cucumber game just got a little hotter, with the addition of a new consumer package program for organic mini cucumbers. Wilson Produce, fourth generation family of farmers, made the addition as one of several steps in a plan to fulfill its plans for growth.
“Our new mini cucumber program is a ‘win-win’ for our growers and for us,” said CEO Alicia Bon Martin.
Early acceptance from customers and consumers encouraged Wilson Produce to continue to expand production. Now, the organic mini cucumbers join Wilson’s established Mighty Mini peppers, among other categories, providing year-round retail support with peaks in spring and fall.
“It gives our growers the ability to build on their rotational cropping programs and for Wilson, it complements our existing Mighty Mini category by reinforcing our brand positioning in quality, highly snackable, fresh produce,” Bon Martin continued.
The latest addition to Wilson’s portfolio will not take away from its focus on growing its existing programs. The grower said in a press release that it continues to focus on increasing production on cornerstone items like mini sweet peppers and squash, as well as expanding additional commodities like colored bell peppers and trending items like shishito peppers.
The inaugural shipment of Wilson’s new organic mini cucumbers entered the market in December of 2018 to retailers throughout the U.S., from growers throughout Jalisco, Sinaloa, and Colima in Mexico. AndNowUKnow will continue to report as this and other produce categories continue to set new possibilities in motion.
SEATTLE, WA - Two West Coast produce companies have united forces to better serve the bustling Southern California market. Charlie’s Produce, an employee-owned independent produce company, has acquired Better Life Organics (BLO), a Los Angeles based distributor of organic produce and food products.
“We are constantly seeking ways to improve our services on behalf of our customers and grower partners. The addition of Better Life Organics brings more innovation, new products, and a great team to our Los Angeles division,” said Jeremy Smith, President of Charlie’s Produce.
Charlie’s Produce has served the West Coast since 1978, while BLO has served the Los Angeles area for the last twenty-four years. Following the two’s merger, the companies will expand their services and produce offerings, including an extensive selection of premium organic and local fruits and vegetables, and develop deeper roots within the Los Angeles area.
“BLO has an excellent reputation in the Los Angeles market for providing high quality products and service to customers,” said Jim McDonald, General Manager of Charlie’s Produce Los Angeles. “As a business focused on building fruitful and enduring relationships, we are pleased to have BLO’s talented team and loyal customers join the Charlie’s Produce family.”
Starting today, Charlie’s Produce will consolidate its Irwindale, CA, operations and welcome executives Bill McCoy and German Ruiz to its team. McCoy, who founded and led BLO as CEO, will join Charlie’s Produce in a sales development capacity to further strengthen customer programs and provide a smooth transition for customers, according to a press release.
“We are happy to be combining with a respected and innovative company that aligns with our values and standards when it comes to fresh food distribution,” said McCoy. “We look forward to continuing to serve the L.A. market and providing our customers with strengthened service and product offerings that help their businesses continue to thrive.”
Ruiz also helped found BLO and has served as the company’s President. He will join Charlie’s Produce team in the Irwindale distribution facility, focusing on expanding partnerships with the organic grower community.
Over the last five years, Charlie’s Produce has expanded rapidly, increasing its services, produce processing, geographic extension, and acquisitions. In 2015, the company opened a new distribution center in Los Angeles. In 2017, Charlie’s Produce entered the Boise, ID, market through the purchase of Northwest Produce and increased its brokerage division (Charlie’s Produce Trading Company) representing growers along the West Coast.
For more produce mergers, acquisitions, and expansions, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
LOS ANGELES, CA - In a recent announcement, Giumarra Companies has revealed that a key member of its executive team, Hillary Brick, will be retiring and stepping down from her role as Senior VP Marketing. Having worked at Giumarra since 1992, Brick was initially hired to lead the company’s trade and consumer marketing efforts. Starting as a one-woman marketing department, Brick grew the marketing division to include a dynamic marketing and business development team.
“Hillary is a class act and instilled a strong sense of professionalism in our organization that will remain with us for generations to come,” said John Corsaro, CEO, in a press release. “We are better for having worked alongside her and her mentorship in our day-to-day operations will be greatly missed.”
Brick’s experience and ingenuity has been essential to Giumarra’s marketing efforts, and she developed the company’s tagline, “Feeding the world in a healthy way®,” as well as the creation of its Nature’s Partner® brand identity in 2003.
Through her efforts the company developed a first-time unity, consistency, and cohesion to Giumarra’s product line and service offerings.
“I’ve been privileged to work with many, many high-quality executives in the food and produce industries over the years and I can honestly say that Hillary stands clearly above the rest with her unique combination of keen strategic insights, operational savvy, and incomparable interpersonal skills,” says Dr. Ed McLaughlin, Robert G. Tobin Professor of Marketing and the Director of the Food Industry Management Program at the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University.
Brick received both B.A. and M.A. honors degrees in Japanese from the University of Auckland in her native home of New Zealand. Her professional career began with teaching Japanese, and she soon worked for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which included four years in Tokyo. Eventually, her foreign affairs and marketing experience led to an opportunity with the New Zealand Kiwifruit Marketing Board, where she was introduced to Don Corsaro.
“Hillary’s efforts on behalf of the New Zealand kiwifruit industry to introduce the fruit to the North American market caught our attention,” says Don Corsaro, former President and current Chairman. “She worked tirelessly throughout North America to make kiwifruit a household item. Her relentless determination and inclination to always seek new opportunities showed me that if anyone could build our marketing program at Giumarra, it would be Hillary.”
In Brick’s active personal life, she enjoys running, sea kayaking, cooking, traveling, reading, and spending time with her family—some of whom are kiwifruit growers in New Zealand.
The AndNowUKnow team congratulates Hillary on this newest chapter!
JACKSONVILLE, FL - Whenever news of a facility expansion hits the newswire, it’s an exciting moment at the ANUK office—as well as for the industry as a whole! Sysco’s latest expansion announcement is no exception. The distributor recently received a permit to build the $11-million-dollar expansion to its Northwest Jacksonville facility for Sysco International Food Group.
According to a report from the Jacksonville Daily Record, the building plans include an expansion of the cooler, freezer, and dry warehouse. The permit also notes plans for a cold dock addition and expansion of the office area. All in all, the project is 114,643 square feet.
Sysco additionally operates Sysco Food Services Jacksonville in West Jacksonville, Florida.
As the foodservice giant continues its expansion plans, will it also snap up more distributors—as it did in April? AndNowUKnow will continue to report the latest in foodservice news.