SALISBURY, NC - After months, even years, of research on how to optimize the fresh produce supply chain, it seems like Ahold Delhaize has finally cracked the code. This week, the retailer announced that its services company Retail Business Services launched an end-to-end forecasting and replenishment solution that leverages technology from RELEX Solutions to ensure fresher produce is available on store shelves.
“By implementing this game changing solution, Retail Business Services is further enabling Ahold Delhaize USA’s local brands to deliver on their ambitions to be there for their customers anytime, anywhere with the freshest products,” Chris Lewis, EVP of Supply Chain for Retail Business Services, said in a press release. “Not only will it provide local brand stores with the flexibility they need to best serve their customers, it will enable a complete supply chain transformation at a time when customer expectations are rapidly changing the way groceries are bought, sold, and delivered.”
The solution incorporates both artificial intelligence and flexible rules engines, both of which allow brands to customize their solutions to meet shoppers’ needs and keep fresh produce and center store products on store shelves. In addition, the AI tech allows the solution itself to update constantly as it learns from itself and works to offer increasingly sophisticated forecasting decisions.
Already Ahold has implemented the solution in a few of its chain banners. Food Lion and Hannaford have been piloting RELEX for fresh distribution center forecasting and replenishment since 2018—a pilot that has proven to be successful. Now, Ahold is looking to bring its solution to Giant Food, Martin’s, Peapod, and Stop & Shop as well.
Is Ahold’s new solution what the supply chain has been missing all along? And will Ahold’s official launch of its AI solution lead other retailers to follow suit? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
BOISE, ID - Plated, the meal kit company Albertsons purchased in 2017, has been booted from the retailer’s shelves in Boise, Idaho—at its Broadway location—less than a year after they launched. The company first began offering the meal kits in select markets across the country—in Safeway stores in the Bay Area of California, which currently still offers the kits—shortly after it was acquired. Plated’s then CEO, Josh Hix, announced his excitement to launch the meal kits in Albertsons hometown of Boise (Hix has since left the company).
“Plated has enjoyed the ability to test and learn on a large scale because of Alberstons Companies expansive footprint that covers a wide range of markets and store brands,” stated Plated Director of Public Relations Liz Marsh in a statement to local news source BoiseDev. “Plated is not currently being offered in Boise stores.”
According to Marsh’s statement, Plated will be offered in select stores as the company temporarily reduces the overall scope of its retail distribution. She did not specify the reasons for the meal kits’ removal from stores.
“This shift will allow us to focus on innovation for the future expansion of Plated within the Albertsons Companies ecosystem,” Marsh continued. “We remain committed to growing Plated to serve customers in new and exciting ways.”
Will other Albertsons follow the example of the Broadway store in Boise? AndNowUKnow will continue to report the latest.
SALINAS, CA - In a recent letter addressed to the industry, Taylor Farms announced that beginning May 1, 2019, it is committed to only sourcing leafy green products which are grown in conformity with the heightened water standards outlined by Mark Borman, President.
The letter reads as follows:
During the last year, the Romaine lettuce markets have been shut down two separate times by the federal government following epidemiological links of certain Romaine products to illnesses and deaths caused by E. coli pathogens. The tragic illnesses and persistent negative publicity surrounding these events has eroded confidence in the healthy products the leafy greens industry produces every day and draws attention away from the food safety advancements made by many members of the leafy greens industry.
Based on results from the FDA traceback work, as well as industry research, open source irrigation water has been identified as a meaningful risk factor for promoting the harborage and transmission of pathogens when not managed properly. More specifically, research has shown that an untreated water source, coupled with overhead irrigation techniques, can prove to be a synergistic combination for the growth and transmission of certain harmful pathogens. Fortunately, this risk can be mitigated through on-site treatment of the water, for organisms of concern, prior to usage.
Through this letter, Taylor Farms is committing to source product from Leafy Green Growers who take this additional step to treat water coming from and/or distributed through open sources prior to use in overhead irrigation. Starting May 1, 2019, Taylor Farms is committed to only source leafy green products which are grown in conformance with the heightened water standards mentioned above.
Along with managing irrigation water more stringently, Taylor Farms is committing to engage in continuous research in our farming, manufacturing and transportation processes to develop science-based solutions for identifying and eliminating risk that ultimately impacts the products that we depend on. The success of our industry is dependent on the industry delivering safe and wholesome products. This is a critical next step.
We here at AndNowUKnow commend Taylor Farms for taking this next step in providing the safest produce possible.
MONTREAL, CANADA - Ok, show of hands, who’s psyched for CPMA’s annual Convention and Trade Show? If any of you didn’t raise your hands, shame on you! The CPMA convention is a golden opportunity for anyone attending, as worlds collide on the show floor—retailers, and growers, and consumers, oh my! Highline Mushrooms is prepped and ready to go when it comes to seizing this opportunity, relishing the chance to interact with customers from a business and personal perspective. I spoke with Stephanie Myles, Marketing Specialist for Highline Mushrooms, who dished about connections, innovation, and demand.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to have direct interactions with store managers and consumers to get their feedback on our product and new innovations,” Stephanie said.
According to Stephanie, Highline Mushrooms has been a pioneer in the mushroom industry for over 50 years and is well known as a company that brings innovation to the category and provides superior-quality mushrooms to consumers. She went on to drop some serious ‘shroom creds—not only is the company the largest producer of mushrooms in Canada; it’s the largest organic mushroom grower in the world!
At the conference, the company will be focused on continued innovation in regards to convenience and consumer, as well as new and exciting product concepts that the company has in the works.
Highline Mushrooms recognizes the unique opportunities within the Canadian market, embracing what makes that market so special.
“The Canadian market offers the opportunity to continue driving demand of fresh mushrooms by leveraging on food trends such as the blend and the health attributes of mushrooms, in addition to value added and convenience products,” said Stephanie.
She went on to explain that there are great opportunities consumer-wise to educate consumers on the variety, flavor, and cooking versatility of mushrooms to make a case for more mushrooms on their plates.
It’s not hard to see how Highline Mushrooms’ success stems from its outlook and consumer-centric approach.
“We are a forward-thinking company that strives for innovation in the mushroom category, always with our consumers’ needs in mind,” Stephanie concluded.
Highline Mushrooms will be kicking it at booth #606, ready to answer all your ‘shroom questions and show off its high-quality offerings.
CASTROVILLE, CA - Ocean Mist® Farms has announced the launch of its spring campaign, Reach for the Gold, to support sales of its “gold standard,” or premier spring artichokes, after making a big splash with a rewarding winter promotion.
“We take great pride in the unparalleled eating quality of our artichokes and the level of farming excellence that goes into maintaining our position as the gold standard in artichoke production,” said Diana McClean, Senior Director of Marketing. “Given the great success of the Peace, Love & Artichokes promotion, which elevated Coachella as the premier growing region for our winter artichokes, we’re excited to shine a spotlight on our core growing region in Castroville, California—the artichoke center of the world!”
According to a press release, the company will launch its 30-day Reach for the Gold promotion beginning April 1st to nurture its growing database of loyal customers with weekly prize-winning opportunities through email-based trivia. The promotion will provide shoppers with tips and inspiration for enjoying artichokes as well as promotional content designed to educate shoppers about the company’s 90 year farming legacy as well as its industry leadership as the gold standard in artichoke growing.
Ocean Mist Farms’ first-ever marketing campaign, the brand’s Peace, Love & Artichokes promotion that wrapped up March 1st, aligned with its exclusive winter growing region in Coachella Valley, California. Spurred by an upward trend in artichoke consumption during the winter months, the brand leveraged its strong winter supply and excellent product quality to engage shoppers and drive purchase intent.
The diverse campaign included a Coachella growing region webpage, a sweepstakes, Google, and social media advertising and email marketing, as stated in the press release. As a result, the brand earned 152,000 sweepstakes submissions, preference data from more than 27,000 shoppers, and 7.8 million brand impressions.
Ocean Mist Farms’ artichokes' original home is Castroville. The coastal, Mediterranean-like climate in this central California area is a natural fit for this Italian vegetable that thrives best in the area’s mild temperatures. The company’s vertically-integrated production has allowed it to implement gold standard best practices at every stage of the production cycle, from planting all the way through harvesting, processing, cooling, and distribution. These best practices are a culmination of the expertise gained from a 95-year-old artichoke farming legacy.
For more information on the Ocean Mist Farms' spring promotion, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
MONTREAL, QC - Fruits From Chile has been delivering delicious fruit to North American markets with key categories like blueberries, citrus, stonefruit, and more. At this year's CPMA Conference and Trade Show, the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association will make their case, meet with partners, and dish about an upcoming season packed with promotional opportunities.
“Our key message is that Chile is the one place for everything fresh,” said Karen Brux, Managing Director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association. “From cherries, blueberries, grapes, and stonefruit during the winter months to kiwifruit and citrus in the spring, summer, and fall, you can look to Chile for counter-seasonal supply of all your favorite fruits!” said Karen, noting that Fruits From Chile works with importers, wholesalers, and retailers to drive sales of Chilean produce.
Karen continued: “We support all the major retail chains in Canada, but wholesale markets, like the Ontario Food Terminal, also
And, though several Chilean fruit seasons have just wrapped up, there are a number of categories just over the horizon. At booth #1521, CPMA show-goers can meet with the association’s Toronto-based merchandiser, Susanne Bertolas, and Monserrat Valenzuela, from the Santiago-based Chilean Citrus Committee.
“The CPMA annual convention is the perfect setting for us to connect with our Canadian partners. With the convention taking place at the end of our season for grapes, blueberries, and stonefruit, it’s the perfect time to review promotion programs and wrap up the season. On the other hand, we can also look forward to the Chilean Citrus season, which kicks off in May, and start putting plans in place for mandarin, navel, and lemon promotions,” Karen noted, adding: “There are always a number of Chilean exporters who attend the convention, so we also arrange market tours and meetings with key buyers.”
With ample supplies of high-quality counter-seasonal fruit across key categories, Karen told me, Fruits From Chile has everything North American providers need to get high-quality citrus in the coming months.
“The Chilean Citrus season begins in May and continues through October. Chile is the premier source for Southern Hemisphere citrus, and our volumes are growing year on year, so we’re excited to meet with all our Canadian partners and start talking about programs for the upcoming season,” Karen noted. “We’ll also be showcasing our new Facebook page that we’ve launched for Canada (Fruits From Chile Canada). We decided to have a separate Facebook presence for Canada so we can be more targeted with messaging in both English and French.”
Finally, Karen told me that Fruits From Chile is upping its social media game in the Great White North.
“We’ve partnered with social influencers in Canada, and have sponsored everything from a marathon to a hockey association, promoting fruit as a healthy snack,” added Karen.
CPMA Convention & Trade Show attendees, be sure to drop by booth #1521 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal, April 2-4, to learn more about Fruits From Chile.
EMERYVILLE, CA - The discount supermarket, whose stores are largely independently-owned and operated, announced that it has confidentially submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) relating to the proposed initial public offering of its common stock. According to a press release, the number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offerings have not yet been determined.
The initial public offering is expected to commence after the SEC completes its review process, and is subject to market and other conditions.
The retailer, which operates in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, made headlines last September when its Co-CEOs, MacGregor Read and Eric Lindberg—along with private equity firm Hellman & Friedman, which owns the chain—announced they would love to see the banner go national.
Part of Grocery Outlet’s popularity resides in the fact that it is independently-owned and able to stock the stores with whatever the owners choose. Will plans to go public directly affect its relationship with its loyal customers? AndNowUKnow will continue to keep its eyes on further developments to the supermarket’s IPO.
NEW YORK CITY, NY - Whole Foods Market is changing its tune and singing out, in a voice suspiciously similar to this year’s Grammys host, “those New York streets will make you feel brand new, bodegas will inspire you…” Inspire indeed. According to a report by Eater, the specialty grocer opened a new convenience store concept in the city of bodegas and corner stores earlier this year. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right?
The grocer is calling it the Whole Foods Market Daily Shop and introduced it as a bodega-like format that offers New York City shoppers an alternative to traditional grocery formats. The shop is located in Chelsea, New York, on the corner of Seventh Avenue and 25th Street and features self-checkout kiosks, an açaí bowl station, traditional grab-and-go items (like bagels, pastries, etc.), common grocery store items (including a mini produce aisle and local goodies), and convenience store items (like toothbrushes, shampoos, etc.).
So far this year, Whole Foods Market has been up, down, and all around, after announcing major 2019 expansion plans, then plans to drop its 365 banner, and most recently celebrating its 500th store. But with this first-of-its-kind concept for the specialty grocer, will Whole Foods smooth out its year and be able to set a course straight to the top? AndNowUKnow will continue to report as more grocery retailers turn to convenience and new format stores as a means to cope in the competitive retail landscape.
FRESNO, CA - The California Table Grape Commission recently gave thousands of students the opportunity to participate in innovative educational projects, thanks to its grant program. The long-standing “Innovation in Teaching” grant program was created in 1993 to support innovative teaching projects in the California table grape growing regions of the San Joaquin and Coachella valleys.
“It is great to see so many exciting and innovative projects being implemented by teachers in the state’s table grape growing regions,” said Kathleen Nave, President of the commission.
Projects include the areas of agriculture, math, science, art, health, and technology.
According to the California Table Grape Commission’s press release, 51 education grants worth up to $750 each were awarded in total. The funded projects will be implemented in the current academic year and will reach over 9,000 students, grades K through 12.
Some projects being funded this year include the use of robotic kits, mannequins to help students learn how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and teaching students how to create mobile applications.
For more updates on how the California table grape growers give back to the community, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
CHARLOTTE, NC - The times they are a-changin’, and no one knows this better than the grocery industry. As consumers’ habits change, its no secret that retailers are changing to keep up with them. The latest to make moves in this department is none other than Harris Teeter, whose uptown store on West Sixth Street in Charlotte, North Carolina, will be eliminating its cashiers and transitioning to self-checkout only.
The grocer said in a statement that it is moving away from self-checkout at this location to do away with long register lines. With a store size of 18,000 square feet, the Charlotte store is roughly half the size of a traditional Harris Teeter. Typically, this location gets busy with uptown professionals and urban residents making small purchases.
Danna Robinson, Communication Manager with Harris Teeter, stated in an email to local news outlet WDBJ that the average transaction in the retailer’s uptown store is “significantly smaller than our traditional stores.” She also noted that this move to self-checkout would not eliminate any jobs.
“We believe this will allow us to provide better customer service by having more lanes available, so shoppers should be able to get in and out more quickly. This is our only store of this size, so there are no plans to move forward past this unique design,” Robinson said.
Self-checkout has increased in popularity over the years, as retailers look to speed up transaction time and up the number of sales in their stores. According to a report from RBR, a London firm that studies banking and retail automation, in 2016 sales of self-checkout terminals increased by 67 percent. This increase, the firm noted, was driven by retailers throughout the United States looking to invest in store transformation.
Although the retailer has no current plans to update any of its other traditional stores to self-checkout, this update—and a potential sales increase—may spell change. AndNowUKnow will continue to report with the latest.