BENTONVILLE, AR - When retailers seek to improve their business models, it helps to start at the ground floor—and Walmart is doing just that. The mega retailer is debuting a new model called “Great Workplace,” which will create a new framework for how Walmart operates its stores, focusing on employee growth and satisfaction. Already in place in around 75 locations, the new model will make changes to roles and responsibilities, emphasizing accountability, skill improvement, and teamwork.
“Associates like smaller teams, and they like having a connection with a leader. They want something they can own and to know if they are winning or losing every day. And today that does not always happen,” Drew Holler, U.S. Senior Vice President of Associate Experience, said in an interview reported by Bloomberg.
Great Workplace aims to rehabilitate Walmart’s reputation as an employer—a reputation that has been under fire from labor activists who accuse the retailer of not paying employees during shift breaks, and gender and age discrimination, according to the news source. Walmart has also begun implementing robots to fulfill certain tasks like cleaning floors and sorting deliveries, though the retailer claims the robotic additions will not replace human employees.
“We will compete with technology but win with people,” Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon said in internal documents viewed by Bloomberg laying out the new structure.
The new model will impact top store managers to the lowest level employees. Pay raises will be given to some hourly and salaried supervisors, who will take on more leadership responsibility, while lower-level employees will receive more training, additional support, and better recognition for good work.
Management structure will change under Great Workplace, because while Store Managers will still be at the top, about a half-dozen “Business Leads” will take on management of the store’s finances, hiring efforts, and other duties. The Business Leads’ salaries will begin at ten percent higher than current Assistant Store Manager wages, according to a Walmart spokesperson. “Team Leads,” who will report to the Business Leads, will supervise groups of eight to ten front-line associates and will see a starting salary of $18 per hour.
A “toolkit” will be provided to each store employing the new model and will include a magnetic board that managers can use to assign employees individual responsibility, dubbed “ownership” by the retailer. The “ownerships” will correspond to specific areas of the store, such as the wall of prepackaged salads. Also included in the toolkit are “Attitude Cards,” which managers will carry around throughout their shift to remind workers of the four behaviors promoted by Great Workplace: Be bold, be an owner, be open, and be kind.
A “star” system is also set to be implemented, wherein employees can earn blue stars for good performance. Multiple blue stars can be traded in for a silver star, and multiple silver stars can be traded in for a gold. Gold star earners will be rewarded by leadership, with a lunch with the Store Manager, according to company documents. This system was not instantly beloved by all, as the news source reports that some employees found the star system to be childish.
Team meetings are addressed in the Great Workplace plan, dictating that meetings are to begin with Walmart company cheer before moving on to discuss assigned work and review sales data. Critics who considered the star system childish, would probably not enjoy the Great Workplace suggestion to “bring a bag of candy and toss a piece to those who bring up ideas discussed in meetings.”
The new Great Workplace model is planned to expand to certain departments in more than 50 of its massive Supercenter locations in June.
How will employees respond to Great Workplace? Will it result in an increase in sales and customer satisfaction, or will it lead to worker disillusionment? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
SELINSGROVE, PA - BrightFarms, the company who produces locally-grown packaged salads, recently announced plans to build a 250,000-square-foot greenhouse in Snyder County, Pennsylvania.
“This is an exciting chapter for our company as we push forward with our mission to provide more Americans access to the freshest, tastiest, and most responsibly grown local produce at supermarkets,” said Paul Lightfoot, CEO, in a recent press release. “With greenhouses across the Mid-Atlantic and growing, BrightFarms is well positioned to meet the growing consumer demand for local produce.”
BrightFarms has plans to break ground on the new greenhouse this month, with production starting in early 2020. The press release noted that the greenhouse will produce more than two million pounds of leafy salad greens and herbs per year while using an estimated 80 percent less water, 90 percent less land, and 95 percent less shipping fuel than West Coast farms. The produce will then be delivered to Pennsylvania supermarkets within 24 hours of harvest, roughly five to seven days faster than conventional leafy greens grown on the West Coast.
Recently, BrightFarms announced plans for expansion with new greenhouse farms to be built in New England, New York, and North Carolina. These greenhouses will further the brand’s presence and add to BrightFarm’s network of local and sustainable farms across the Mid-Atlantic and into the South.
The company currently has farms in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Illinois, and Ohio. With a one-week freshness advantage, innovative varieties, a more reliable and safe supply chain, and consistently high category sales, BrightFarms has achieved success in the market with leading national retailers such as Kroger, Ahold, Albertsons, and Walmart.
To stay up to date on the latest in fresh produce, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Do you have the best eyes in the biz? The pointiest finger that always finds its mark? Then April showers could bring you some May flowers in the way of $100 cash. That’s right, baby—we’re back with another Find the Apple contest! So, grab your April issue of The Snack Magazine and get to hunting!
You know the drill! If you haven’t received a hard copy of our April issue featuring the ladies of DMA Solutions, click here for the digital cover.
Once you've scoured every corner of the cover for that adorable apple logo, be sure to snap your smiliest selfie—if you need help smiling on this Wednesday morning, just think of how happy you'll be flush with $100 cash. But before you snap that selfie, or have a teammate do it for you, be sure to do the following:
- Show your face
- Be sure you are pointing at the AndNowUKnow apple logo.
If your photo checks off all the above boxes, email it to [email protected] to qualify because the race is on!
Remember that we choose two winners, one from the buy-side and one from the supply-side. Join the bragging-right ranks of winners like:
- Kimberly Chan of 99 Cents Only (reigning buy-side champion!)
- Danny Ortiz of Sysco
- Dustin White of Fresh Concepts
- Brandi McGuire-Sisco of Topco Associates
- Mike Mendez of NatureFresh™ Farms
- Kimberly Chan of 99 Cents Only
- Monina Knox of Sobeys
And that cash prize is pretty fun, too, so let the game begin!
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 to all and may the email gods smile upon you so that your selfie hits our inbox first!
WASHINGTON D.C. - Farmers, this year, have been hit hard by changes to trade policies, and there doesn’t seem to be any relief forthcoming, at least not in 2019. The Trump administration has recently reported that there are no active plans to provide more aid to farmers at this time. While the administration points to the $12 billion in aid provided last year, it has also claimed that the option of providing aid would be considered if trade negotiations and weak commodity prices linger, reports Reuters.
“We have been very clear to the agriculture community that we did not anticipate nor should they anticipate a 2019 Market Facilitation Program,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, in a statement to reporters.
Along with the controversial ongoing Tomato Suspension Agreement withdraw that we reported on earlier this year, farmers have had to contend with imposed tariffs, limiting exports. In 2018, Beijing imposed tariffs on the import of soybeans, grain sorghum, pork, and other U.S. agricultural goods as retaliation for U.S. levies. According to Reuters, exports of soybeans to China plummeted over 90 percent, and U.S. soybean sales elsewhere failed to make up for the loss.
In 2016, farmers were a key constituency for the Trump campaign’s election, and yet they are a group that has been hit hard by Trump’s trade policies that led to tariffs with trading partners like Mexico, Canada, and China. Many farmers have called for an end to the trade disputes, which, reports Reuters, have worsened credit conditions for the rural economy and raised farm debt to the highest levels in decades.
Some members of the administration have suggested flexibility to the farm aid policy, such as White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, who said that aid would be considered, if necessary. However, Secretary Perdue stated that he was unaware of any such plans.
“As these trade negotiations go longer and prices remain low, we will look at that as we go forward,” he said. “But we don’t want to raise expectations that anything’s under consideration at this point.”
A new round of aid for 2019 was previously ruled out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More than $8 billion was paid out as part of last year’s program, as of March. The Department reported that the deadline to apply has been extended to May 17.
Will ongoing trade disputes cause the Trump administration to reconsider its aid policy? Or will farmers have to fend for themselves? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
ORLANDO, FL - The National Mango Board (NMB) announced its newly elected officers during its March board meeting in Antigua, Guatemala. By leading the board in accordance with the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996, as well as, the Mango Order, the NMB officers will fulfill their duties and responsibilities.
“I want to acknowledge the new NMB officers elected to represent this organization and the appointed members who serve the mango industry,” said Manuel Michel, Executive Director of the NMB. “Over the years, the NMB has become a trailblazer when it comes to the initiatives it generates, the partnerships that are formed, and the collaboration that happens at all levels of the mango industry. A key driving force in all this comes from the leadership the NMB has in place.”
According to a press release, Michael Warren of Pompano Beach, FL, will serve as Chair for a second term, and Jiovani Guevara of Phoenix, AZ, as Vice-Chair. Serving as Secretary for a second term is Marsela McGrane of Los Angeles, CA, and elected as Treasurer for a second term is Chris Ciruli of Tucson, AZ.
By bringing the industry together and educating consumers about the flavor, nutrition, and health of mangos, the NMB officers, together with the rest of the board members, will continue to uphold the NMB’s mission to increase consumption of fresh mangos in the U.S.
For all things fresh produce, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
SUMMERLAND, BC, CANADA - Exciting news on the apple front! Okanagan Specialty Fruits’ (OSF) newest non-browning Arctic® apple variety, Arctic® Fuji, completed the voluntary review process with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Arctic Fuji’s are the third apple variety OSF has been approved to grow, along with Arctic Golden and Arctic Granny apples that previously received regulatory approval in 2015.
“Completion of this FDA review is important news for our company as it marks the last step needed for Arctic Fuji to officially join our commercial orchards,” stated Neal Carter, President of OSF, in a recent press release. “We get a lot of feedback from people about what Arctic variety they’re excited to see next, and this latest announcement allows us to provide consumers with even more choice when it comes to purchasing value-added fruits for their families to enjoy.”
Through biotechnology, the press release explained, the enzyme in Arctic apples responsible for browning has been turned off. This can significantly impact unnecessary food waste when it comes to apples that would normally get thrown out after they have turned brown, enabling the unique non-browning trait to benefit every sector of the supply chain. Arctic apples were commercially available for the first time in the fall of 2017 in select U.S. cities, and availability has increased as more trees are planted and fruit volumes increase.
“There have been some major developments for OSF recently, and I’m excited to see what comes next as this is definitely just the start for us,” concluded Carter.
The announcement comes on the heels of Arctic Fuji approvals by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) granted September 23, 2016, and Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada on January 30, 2018. The FDA is expected to post a letter announcing the completion of their evaluation on their website in the coming weeks. This was the final step required in the regulatory process.
For the latest in fresh produce news like this, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
SALINAS, CA - Marketing and creative firm, TMD Creative, has brought two new team members into the fold. The company has recently hired Thalia Villalobos and Cristina Cachux in an effort to grow its web and design teams. Villalobos and Cachux are two of the four new employees the company has added to its team in the past year as it approaches its 20th anniversary in October.
“As TMD Creative expands, I am delighted to welcome two talented young ladies to our team. They bring a breadth of new, fresh ideas to TMD from their diverse backgrounds, and I am convinced that their unique skills will bring tremendous value to our clients,” said President and CEO Nick Pasculli.
Villalobos will fill the role of Web Developer on TMD Creative’s web team, where she will work closely with Senior and Lead Web Developers to help clients build exceptional websites that provide a pleasant experience for the user. Previously, Villalobos was an intern at New Relic, a San Francisco-based software analytics company. There, she created custom data feeds for clients and stylized the user interface to match New Relic’s brand. She graduated from California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB).
“I enjoy creating custom solutions from scratch—it’s like adding color to a blank canvas and creating beautiful art,” said Villalobos in a press release. “I look forward to growing professionally and learning everything I can from everyone on the team.”
Another CSUMB graduate, Cachux previously worked for Marich Confectionery, a family-owned business in Hollister, CA. With experience in web, print, packaging design, and web development, Cachux is ready to hit the ground running, working closely with both the web and design teams to design digital media.
“I am excited to work on my two areas of expertise: web and design.” said Cachux. “Work in web and design is ever-evolving and never done, and I love the challenge of learning new ways to solve problems, while staying relevant in this industry.”
Congratulations to both, and the entire TMD Creative team!
SANTA PAULA, CA - Spring has sprung, and with May upon us, it’s time to turn on the charm and make up for the 364 days of taking Mom for granted. This Mother’s Day, you can celebrate your fam like a pro with Limoneira’s tips and employ the endlessly versatile lemon for a fun, fresh, and flavorful breakfast in bed. Limoneira’s Spokesperson Megan Roosevelt has introduced a recipe loaded with a sweet tart kick and a healthful finish.
Lemon Mango Chia Pudding
A simple, nourishing, and tasty start to any mom’s day!
Ingredients:
- 1 Limoneira classic lemon
- 1 mango
- 1.5 cups non-dairy milk
- 1 frozen banana
- ¼ cup chia seeds
Directions: Add chia seeds to non-dairy milk and whisk together. Let sit for at least four hours in refrigerator (get up early to get the jump on Mom; she’s had it too good for too long; it’s a veritable chia seed ambush). Then, slice and peel mango. Add mango slices, frozen banana, and juice from the lemon to a small blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add chia pudding to a small glass, and top with mango-lemon puree.
Interested in learning more about lemons? Videos with more recipes, tips, and tricks are added to Limoneira’s YouTube channel weekly. For more details on the tips below, watch this video on the Limoneira channel here.
Additionally, Limoneira has partnered up with experts—including global chefs and mixologists, nutritionists, and beauty lifestyle and green cleaning experts—to share their knowledge with the customers of our grocery and foodservice partners around the world. Biographies can be found on Limoneira’s website.
CINCINNATI, OH - There’s a promotion party happening over at two of Kroger’s divisions, as one of the company's celebrated leaders and a retail industry veteran step up and take on new roles. This week, Kroger announced that Dana Zurcher, the current Dallas Division President, has been named President of the Columbus Division. In her place, Tom Schwilke will succeed her as the Dallas Division President.
Zurcher will step into her new role beginning today, May 1, 2019. She succeeds Dan De La Rosa, who recently took on a new role as President of the King Soopers Division. As the President of the Columbus Division, Zurcher will oversee 118 stores and more than 21,000 associates located throughout Central and Northwest Ohio, Southeast Michigan, and the Ohio River Valley.
Zurcher has been with Kroger since 1985 when she first joined the retailer’s store management team in Indianapolis. She then served in a number of roles in the Central Division, including store and district management and merchandising. In 2002, she became District Manager of the Fry’s Division and moved to Phoenix. In 2008, she was again promoted, taking on the role of Director of Operations for the Ralphs Division. In 2011, she once again rose through the ranks and was promoted to Vice President of Operations for the Mid-South Division before being named to the same role in 2013 for the Southwest Division. In 2015, when the Southwest Division was divided into Dallas and Houston, Zurcher became the first President of the Dallas Division.
"Dana has a long history of success throughout the Kroger Family of Companies, and we know she'll continue to serve our customers exceptionally well as the leader of our Columbus Division," said Mike Donnelly, Kroger's Executive Vice President and COO. "Her diverse operations and merchandising background will help us deliver our vision to serve America through food inspiration and uplift."
In addition to her many promotions, Zurcher also is the executive leader of Kroger’s Women’s EDGE associate resource group, which focuses on improving leadership opportunities for Kroger associates, according to a press release. She also serves on the boards of the Western Association of Food Chains and the North Texas Food Bank. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Ball State University.
Schwilke will also step into his new role as President of the Dallas Division on May 1, 2019. He comes to Kroger with over 35 years of merchandising and retail leadership experience, with stints at Safeway, Tom Thumb, and Randalls. In his new role, Schwilke will oversee 110 stores across the Dallas/Fort Worth, northwest Louisiana, and East Texas areas.
"We are pleased to welcome Tom to Kroger," continued Donnelly. "He is well respected throughout the retail industry, and we look forward to his proven leadership driving continued growth in our Dallas Division."
Most recently, Schwilke served as President and General Manager of the NorCal Division of Safeway, a position in which he oversaw 238 stores and 35,000 associates. Prior to that, he held a number of national leadership positions with Safeway, including President and General Manager of Perishables, Group Vice President of Produce and Floral, and President and General Manager of the Texas Division, where he was responsible for overall operations of 111 Tom Thumb and Randalls stores in Dallas, Houston, and Austin. Schwilke holds a bachelor's in Business Administration from Washington State University. In his new role with Kroger, Schwilke returns to the Lone Star State.
Congratulations to Dana Zurcher and Tom Schwilke on their new roles! For more produce promotions happening in and around our industry, keep following AndNowUKnow.
DALLAS, TX - Costco’s Business Centers are coming to Dallas, Texas! According to a report from Dallas News, who cited a sign on the property, the former Sam’s Club location at 8282 Park Lane in Dallas will become a Costco Business Center. Currently, Costco has 18 business centers throughout the United States, none of which are situated in Texas. But, that’s all about to change!
The 133,000-square-foot building will cost the retailer roughly $10 million to remodel. Costco members can shop at these business centers, but the centers are geared toward business customers—as the name readily implies—due to its product selection that caters more to small businesses and restaurant owners.
The Business Centers also have delivery options. Orders placed online Monday through Friday prior to 3 p.m. will be delivered the next business day. To further its ease of delivery, what customers already ordered is saved in a list so they’re easy to reorder.
When asked about the opening of the center, Costco representatives were not available to comment to Dallas News.
For the latest in retail news, keep reading AndNowUKnow!