KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO - We all hope that those we connect with in business and in life will not only have the potential to be what we need, but will realize and fulfil that potential. Someone who has gone beyond anyone’s expectations is Mucci Farms’ Director of Marketing Emily Murracas.
By now it’s apparent that our team has been spotlighting the women of our industry, and Emily’s team was inspired to share what she has done not just to enhance the company, but to, in many ways, reshape it.
“Emily is the heartbeat of the company. She believes that our team can accomplish absolutely anything, and nobody can tell her otherwise,” Ajit Saxena, Digital Media Coordinator, told me. He explained that her keen eye for talent and taste, intuition, and creativity is what allows her to see what many miss, while her optimism continuously lifts the team up. “She’s positive and cares for her team personally and professionally. Despite the chaotic industry we’re in, she’s able to concentrate on every fine point of everything we do, and it’s in those details that we are taken from good to great.”
This intuitive direction is so accurate that in the eight years she’s been with the company, Emily’s earned the trust of ownership in new ideas and directions she wants to explore with the brand.
"I thought I knew dedication until I met Emily. I thought I knew what passion for what you do was until I met Emily. She is the silent pulse of Mucci Farms that helps us all be better every day," Joe Spano, Owner/Vice President of Sales & Marketing, commented.
Sharron Barnier, Vice President of Finance & Administration, added, “Emily has a contagious leadership style. She integrates herself with her staff and that makes us have a strong creative marketing team.”
That leadership has resulted in numerous awards and recognition, and Emily’s been an instrumental part of overseeing the creation of a consumer-friendly brand that has appealed to retailers across North America. In fact, the team credits her direction and vision with the development of its brand, look, and feel, and under her watch it has won product, packaging, and/or booth awards at every major trade show in the industry.
“Emily’s ability to develop a compelling vision for a project is outstanding. She effectively inspires those around her to achieve excellence in execution and results through her passion and commitment to the end goal,” Carol Bendo, Director of Human Resources, summed up for me.
Wayne St. Denis, Senior Graphic Designer, has worked with Emily for almost the entire eight years she’s been with Mucci, and said that there are many qualities that make her a great leader: “Her creativity, passion, loyalty, honesty, and ability to multitask are easy attributes to list, but the one trait that stands out is her personable skill that allows her to connect with people. She knows when to motivate, when to sympathize, and when to push. Her care for each individual makes you want to go that extra mile."
That care has also helped enhance the very culture of Mucci. Emily played a key role in building the foundation and standard for company events, such as the annual Employee Appreciation Luncheon for all 1,200 staff members and their families, multiple Christmas parties, leading the launch of employee milestone awards that recognize those who have worked there for 5,10,15, or 20+years, and taking an active role in making sure the company does community work.
"When I joined the company over two years ago, my number one priority was to build my career with an organization that placed a high importance on work culture, because great companies tend to have that in common. It didn’t take me long to figure out that Em’s style of leadership served as the heartbeat for the positive can-do atmosphere at Mucci Farms. To navigate through this industry by leading from the front, and getting people to follow takes a lot of courage, confidence, and an unwavering belief in yourself and your team. Our marketing team is successful because our leader, our heartbeat, believes in us,” Ajit concludes.
One woman walked into an office and made it a home. One person made all the difference. In the case of Emily Murracas, it seems one attitude lifts all.
McALLEN, TX - While fresh produce is an industry that constantly keeps us on our toes, anticipating change and unpredictability, there is at least one thing we can be certain of—the GR Fresh team is growing. The company has welcomed Phil Swim as the team’s new Director of National Accounts.
“Phil’s wealth of market knowledge, experience, and critical relationships throughout the industry will be integral in our efforts to expand our business into the very competitive retail and foodservice arena," said Tony Incaviglia, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We are excited to welcome Phil to the team and plan for the road ahead."
In Phil’s new role, his responsibilities will include new business development with a focus on national retail and foodservice companies.
"I am thrilled to be a member of the GR Fresh family!" Phil said. "GR Fresh has a long and well-deserved reputation of having superior people and products. I look forward to continuing to build upon that reputation by giving my all to providing the best possible service to meet and exceed our customer’s needs."
With more than 20 years of produce sales and executive level experience under his belt, the future looks bright for this next phase in GR Fresh’s evolution. Most recently, Phil worked with DiMare Fresh as its National Sales Director and brings a Masters Degree in Business with a focus on Food Industry Management from the University of Southern California to the GR Fresh position.
Congratulations, Phil, on your new Role with GR Fresh and the path ahead!
NEW ZEALAND - Consumers are about to get schooled in all things apple, as apple producer T&G global has embarked on a mission to attract shoppers via a culinary classroom. Recently completing 16 sponsored Envy™ apple-centric classes across five retail chains, T&G Global plans to become a prominent and regular feature in even more cooking schools across the U.S. Sponsoring customers’ cooking schools allows the premium apple brand to add value to its retail offerings while at the same time increase brand exposure and shopper loyalty.
“While we believe that Envy apples are ideal as a standalone snack, we also know that spreading the word about the versatility of the apple will increase demand and sales within culinary circles,” said Brock Nemecek, Regional Marketing Manager for T&G Global, in a press release. “Our retail customers have been terrific partners in positioning Envy as a must-have ingredient and have experienced an uplift in sales as a result.“
Envy apples are a crisp, sweet treat with unique, slow-to-brown attributes. A natural cross between a Braeburn and a Royal Gala, the coveted apple adds flavor and crunch to appetizers, salads, main courses, cocktails, and deserts. Everyone—from cooking enthusiasts to culinary pros—are becoming wise to the diverse ways that Envy apples add nutrition, taste, and texture to any course.
The Envy apple-centric retailer cooking schools are an ideal way to attract consumers to a one-of-a-kind course dedicated to apple-based recipes. Five retail chains across the Northwest, Midwest, Southeast, California, and Texas have held Envy-sponsored classes. A Tampa retail location welcomed eight local food bloggers to show-off their favorite Envy apple recipes, while shoppers joined in on the fun with free samplings and wine tasting. Another retailer incorporated Envy into its Culinary Adventure classes aimed at kids.
The cooking classes are not the only innovation that Envy is serving up. The Impulse Buy Bin Program takes apples way beyond the fresh produce department. Eye-catching and with engaging custom displays, the Impulse Buy Bins showcase Envy apples’ culinary versatility, enabling retailers to implement healthy snacking centers in areas not traditionally occupied by produce—at checkout, the pharmacy, and other complementary departments.
“We’re excited to offer our retail customers a way to elevate bagged and bulk Envy apples as ideal grab-and-go, fresh snacks,” said Audrey Desnoyers, Business Development Manager for Oppy. “Additionally, the bin design and messaging deliver on-the-spot recipe inspiration that encourages shoppers to try the apple in new and different ways.”
Envy is a trademarked apple brand owned by T&G Global headquartered in New Zealand. Working alongside T&G and offering Envy™ apples, are its three in-market sales agents, Oppy, Rainer Fruit Company and CMI Orchards.
For more fresh produce news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
PROVIDENCE, RI - More than 30,000 employees of the Ahold Delhaize-owned Stop & Shop banner walked off the job this Thursday afternoon, April 11, forcing one of New England’s largest retailers to temporarily close several locations. The United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) union called for a work stoppage at 1 p.m. after contract negotiations stalled over concerns about pension and health benefits, according to the Boston Globe.
Local UFCW chapters voted to authorize a strike in late-February, but the Boston Globe’s report suggests that striking employees only learned about the union’s directive to walk off the job with 15 minutes notice.
“We have temporarily closed some stores and locked the doors in order to secure these locations for the safety of our customers and associates,” Stefanie Shuman, Manager, External Communications & Community Relations, told the Boston Globe in an e-mail. “We have deployed corporate personnel as well as temporary replacement workers, and we are working hard to reopen stores as soon as possible and to minimize any disruptions for our customers.”
The retailer outlined its stance on the strike in an update on its website.
“Given that negotiations with assistance of the federal mediators are continuing, we are disappointed that the UFCW chose to order a work stoppage in an attempt to disrupt service at our stores. Stop & Shop has contingency plans in place to minimize disruption,” the statement reads. “Stop & Shop remains ready and available to meet with the union locals at any time. We are committed to good faith bargaining and hope to reach new contracts as quickly as possible that both recognize and reward the great work of our associates and enable Stop & Shop to compete effectively in the rapidly changing New England grocery market.”
The company also outlined the following bullets, and issued a downloadable “fast facts”:
- Stop & Shop is offering pay increases for all associates
- Stop & Shop continues to offer excellent health care coverage
- Stop & Shop continues to offer a defined benefit pension for all associates
- No changes in paid time off or holidays for current associates
The leadership from UFCW locals also sent an email statement, reported on by USA Today.
“The men and women who make Stop & Shop a success have earned and deserve affordable health care, a good wage, and the ability to retire with dignity,” the statement proceeded. “They have earned and deserve a good job that allows them to do what they do best: provide the very best customer service for New England communities.”
The strike affects 240 of the Stop & Shop division’s 415 stores.
CINCINNATTI, OH - Lil Nas X wasn’t singing about retailers in his viral Billboard-topping song “Old Town Road,” but I think the spirit of many of grocery’s biggest names can easily be found in the rap-country lyrics. Namely, that of Kroger. As part of its plan to put as many distribution centers on the map as possible, Kroger is taking its Ocado facilities to quite a few “old town roads,” if you will, and is most likely going to build and build and build until it can’t no more. The Dayton Business Journal reported that the Cincinnati-based retailer is opening a new $55-million, 335,000-square-foot distribution center in Monroe, Ohio.
According to the news source, Butler County property records show that Kroger purchased 68 acres of land on Hamilton-Lebanon Road in Monroe on March 20. This transaction included 62 acres of land for the price of $3.75 million and six neighboring acres for the price of $829,640. The new facility is part of Kroger and Ocado’s plan to build 20 fulfillment centers over the next three years.
While Kroger has home-court advantage with its latest facility, the news source reported that the retailer isn’t alone in the Monroe market; major e-tailer Amazon is also opening a distribution center there.
Kroger’s facility is slated to open in 2021 and will create 410 new jobs for the market.
For the latest grocery retail moves, AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you covered.
MISSION, TX - If you weren’t already hootin’ and hollerin’ about the second annual Viva Fresh Expo, news just dropped about the Viva Fresh Innovation Showcase that will have you doing just that up until April 27th. This week, the top 22 finalists for the Viva Fresh Innovation Showcase were announced.
“We’re excited about the large number of entries we received this year! It is a powerful reflection on this region; an area that built its reputation on timeless innovations such as the Rio Star Red Grapefruit and the Texas 1015 Sweet Onion,” said Dante Galeazzi, President and CEO of TIPA. “Our vision for this showcase has been to recognize excellence and celebrate the creative, unique, and industry-changing technologies that are both shaping and improving every aspect of the fresh produce supply chain.”
The top 22 features the best in the biz with industry advances like new seed varieties, products, packaging, production, machinery, packing facilities, greenhouses, technology/application software, food safety, traceability, sustainability, and more.
According to a press release, a panel of judges, comprised of retail, foodservice, and produce industry veterans, chose the following finalists based on a strict set of strict criteria:
- Allen Lund Company, AlchemyTMS - Spot Bid Tool
- Apeel Sciences, Apeel: plant-derived shelf-life extension technology
- Coast Tropical, Organic Wrap Around Mango
- Del Monte Fresh Produce, Del Monte® Honeyglow® Pineapple
- Del Monte Fresh Produce/Mann Packing, Caulilini® Baby Cauliflower
- Fox Packaging, Fox Stand-Up Combo® Bag
- GoodFarms and Equitable Food Initiative, Andrew & Williamson's EFI Continuous Improvement Teams
- IFCO Systems, MyIFCO™ Recollect App
- International Paper, International Paper - Stakor™
- Ippolito International, Royal Brussels SproutsTM
- Kingdom Fresh Farms, Solar Panel System
- Magic Sun Farms, CEICKOR University
- Mastronardi Produce, ALOHA™ peppers
- Mr. Lucky, Mr. Lucky Garlic Blister Pack
- Mucci Farms, CuteCumber™ Poppers
- National Mango Board, In-store Mango Display
- Pure Flavor, Mini Munchies Tomato Snack Pack
- Sostena ProducePlan.com & GroundSight technology in collaboration with Frontera/Crescent Fruit & Veg
- SunFed, SunFed Sweet Melon Machine
- Triple H Produce, Triple H Grower's App
- Ventura Foods/Marie's Refrigerated Salad Dressing, Marie's Market Reserve Refrigerated Dressings
- Village Farms, Village Farms Texas Grown
The finalists will be displayed before and during the expo on Saturday, April 27. All expo attendees are encouraged to vote live from the show floor via mobile device for their favorite innovation. The innovation with the most votes will receive the Best of Show Award, along with the second and third runners up, during the expo.
For more information, visit www.VivaFreshExpo.com. And for more show news like this, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
GREENCASTLE, PA - This year’s CPMA Convention and Trade Show in Montreal, Canada, brought together its fair share of heavy hitters from the North American produce world, but the show’s success may be counted sweetest by Keystone Fruit Marketing (and that is not to say they n’er succeed Dickinson fans); the company took to Quebec with “Life should be this sweet” messaging and showcased year-round sweet onions, its upcoming Georgia and South Carolina peach season, and the sweet promise of summer watermelons.
“Life should be this sweet—all year round!” said M. Andrea Scroggs, Sales & Marketing Manager, explaining the company’s platform at CPMA “We want our current and potential Canadian customers to understand that we can provide them with their sweet onion needs every day of the year! We are here to not only provide them with excellent product throughout the seasons, but also to help them be a category expert for their company. We thrive on our relationships and partnerships with those we work with.”
Andrea told me that, because Keystone has partners throughout North America, the CPMA provides an indispensable chance for the company to connect with its current and potential customers. And, Andrea noted, the show provides a unique opportunity to build relationships with top of the line retail customers, customers who demand organic offerings, and through them, with consumers who increasing demand fresh produce throughout the calendar year.
“The Canadian marketplace provides us a unique opportunity to grow our business in an area that craves fresh fruit and vegetables year-round, ” Andrea added. “Keystone has been providing high quality fresh produce to our customers for over 40 years. We take pride in our products and deliver them with an unparalleled level of commitment to service. In an industry that is constantly changing, we adapt with it to continue giving our customers the standard of excellence they’re accustomed to receiving from Keystone.”
The company marked the occasion with a fresh new booth design as well, a design that proved to be the culmination, in many ways, of its transformative recent branding efforts.
“We have been focusing on our branding over the last few years and we feel that this new booth design highlights the hard work we’ve accomplished and the consistency we’ve strived to achieve,” Andrea added.
It’s hard not to be excited for Keystone, its dynamic branding efforts, and the promise of sweet treats throughout the year. For more on the sweeter side of produce, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Wonderful news for the nutrition industry! Wonderful® Pistachios will launch the first ever Plant-Based Nutrition Leadership Symposium from April 15-16. The event is a two-day immersion into plant-based nutrition science, culinary applications, and leadership dialogue, while celebrating pistachios in a plant-based context.
“Snacks are an overlooked opportunity to get more plant protein,” expressed Adam Cooper, Senior Vice President of Marketing, The Wonderful Company. “Pistachios are the go-to portable plant protein, and nuts deserve more credit overall as a great plant-based protein solution.”
According to the company’s press release, symposium sessions will cover an array of topics including protein quality, pediatric nutrition, sustainable nutrition, sports nutrition, and microbiome health. Education will be led by highly-respected experts hailing from prestigious universities and organizations such as Stanford, Loma Linda, University of California, San Diego, and the True Health Initiative.
The symposium was planned in partnership with Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RD, the Plant-Powered Dietitian, and will culminate in an expert discussion panel on leading change toward positive shifts in eating patterns to include more plants. A custom plant-based menu for the event was developed in collaboration with a two-star Michelin Chef.
“Plant-based eating is gaining momentum, and over the past five years the number of people striving to eat less meat has nearly doubled,” said Maggie Moon, MS, RD, Nutrition Director, The Wonderful Company. “This symposium will equip credible nutrition experts with the tools they need to guide the way toward an inclusive movement that helps more people enjoy healthy plant-based eating.”
Pistachios are one of the highest protein nuts with six grams of protein per serving as stated in the press release. They are also shelf stable, portable, and don’t require complicated meal prep.
While there is popularity surrounding the plant-based eating trend, consumer confusion has also raised some concerns around the quality of plant protein and how plant-based diets can nourish everyone from athletes to families. An additional barrier to plant-based eating is a fear of falling short on protein, which is why nutrition experts are eager to dispel myths and provide practical strategies to help consumers make more room in their snacks and meals for plant foods.
For more information about the Plant-Based Nutrition Leadership Symposium, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
SACRAMENTO, CA - The Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference (WFPC) is almost here, and I’m so excited my bags are already packed! Just kidding, I’ll be packing in a mad dash the night before the way I always do, but that does not belittle how truly pumped I am to meet the talented ladies of the produce industry. In the weeks leading up to this year’s conference, I had the chance to speak with several women in the industry who clued me in to their experiences as produce pros. April Ward, Marketing Communications Director for the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA), spoke with me about her time in the wide world of produce, leaving me with the impression that while some days are hard, all days are worth it.
“Produce people work hard and play hard,” April explained. “I've made a ton of great connections in the leafy greens industry through my work at the LGMA, and I've made a lot more wonderful connections within the broader produce industry through events like WFPC, PMA, and United. In my opinion, produce may have started as a male-dominated industry but today it offers equal opportunities for anyone who is willing to put in the work.”
After spending over a decade in produce (12 years in October)—all of which have been with LGMA— April has had her share of ups and downs, though the value of difficult experiences is not lost on her. 2018 was a tough year for the leafy greens category, as April explained that the foodborne illness outbreaks tied to leafy greens began in January of last year and did not fully conclude until January 2019. April and the rest of LGMA spent 164 out of the 365 days in active crisis mode trying to mitigate the damage.
Though last year may have been harrowing, April was amazed to see how growers, shippers, buyers, and produce industry associations worked together to reopen markets and provide assurances about the safety of products.
As a produce industry newbie, I was unaware of how much the industry has changed for women, something that WFPC proves with its very existence. For April, WFPC is a chance to not only connect to other women in the industry, but to embark on a quest of personal discovery.
"I was able to go the first year that it took place and found it super valuable,” April concluded. “It helped me to learn my strengths (and weaknesses) and helped me to make some changes in the workplace I that I am still benefiting from today."
For more exclusive interviews in the lead-up to WFPC and other industry events, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
UNITED STATES - Walmart is once again doubling down on its efforts to retain its status as a retail juggernaut with a massive, nearly $1 billion, investment into renovating its existing stores across the country. As competition in the retail market only continues to heat up, Walmart is taking major steps to entice consumers with new and improved shopping accoutrements.
“Our primary goal is to save time and money for our customers and there is no better place for shopping and convenience than Walmart,” said Uli Correa, Walmart Regional General Manager for Texas, in a statement to Yahoo Finance. “We’re very excited about rolling out improvements and innovations in 2019 that fit into our customers’ busy lifestyles and make shopping even easier.”
In what it describes as customer-focused innovation, according to Yahoo Finance, the retailer plans to invest the almost $1 billion into renovations designed to save customers time and money by providing them options for how and where they shop.
Walmart will be expanding its grocery pickup service, adding the program to hundreds of stores across the country. The service, now including Walmart Voice Order, combines the convenience of shopping online with the ease of picking up groceries in-store, and at no extra cost. The retailer will similarly be expanding its grocery delivery service, for those shoppers who do not wish to visit brick-and-mortar locations.
The retailer has also introduced Walmart Pickup Towers—16-feet tall, high-tech vending machines that are able to fulfill shoppers’ online orders in less than a minute after they have arrived in store, reports Yahoo Finance. The process is simple, a customer goes to the Pickup Tower once their order is ready, and scans a barcode that is sent to their smartphone to retrieve the order.
Another addition will be autonomous shelf scanners which scan shelves and identify when stock levels are low, labels are missing, or prices are incorrect. The scanners also provide real-time inventory reports, directing personnel to areas of the store that need more attention.
Walmart has also employed a new system in store backrooms called FAST, which scans and sorts items automatically as they come off trucks to direct items based on priority and department, so personnel spend less time unloading and more time with customers.
Autonomous floor scrubbers are another innovation the retailer is introducing. The floor scrubbers use assisted autonomy technology to clean and scrub store floors.
Walmart will be strategically investing amounts determined by the state and number of stores the retailer plans to remodel.
- Arizona - $71.8 M, 14 stores
- California - $145 M, 21 stores
- Texas - $264.9 M, 54 stores
- Indiana - $96.1 M, 19 stores
- Pennsylvania - $83 M, 15 stores
- Florida - $173 M, 34 stores
- Maryland - $29 M, 10 stores
- Alabama - $69 M, 14 stores
- South Carolina - $45 M, 8 stores
Will consumers flock to Walmart in even bigger numbers to take advantage of these shopping innovations? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.