FRESNO, CA - The Alliance for Food and Farming has responded to some misconceptions that were released by an activist group about eating non-organic fruits and vegetables in a produce list they call the “dirty dozen.” Scientific, peer reviewed studies show the opposite.
"Since only one in 10 Americans eat enough fruits and vegetables each day, it is important to promote consumption and support public health efforts to encourage healthier diets instead of creating unnecessary fears about eating non-organic fruits and vegetables, which are wholesome, safe, and more affordable," said Teresa Thorne, Executive Director.
According to a statement released through the California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA), peer reviewed studies show this list's recommendations are not scientifically supportable while other studies show it may negatively impact consumers since it discourages purchasing of any produce - organic or conventional. Some key studies about produce safety and nutrition include:
- A study specifically examined the risk/benefit of consuming a diet rich in conventionally grown produce and pesticide residue exposure. That study determined that if half of all Americans increased their consumption of fruit and vegetables by a single serving each day, 20,000 cancer cases could be prevented each year. The study authors concluded that the overwhelming difference between benefit and risk estimates provides confidence that consumers should not be concerned about cancer risks from consuming conventionally grown fruits and vegetables.
- Peer reviewed research has shown that the author's "dirty dozen" list recommendation to substitute organic forms of produce for conventional forms did not result in a decrease in consumer risk, because residues are so low on conventionally grown produce, if present at all. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Pesticide Data Program(PDP) and the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) residue sampling program both found that more than 99 percent of the produce sampled had residues far below Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safety levels, if present at all.
- The USDA stated in their report summary: "Based on the PDP data, consumers can feel confident about eating a diet that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables."
- An analysis conducted by toxicologists with the University of California's Personal Chemical Exposure Program found a child could eat hundreds to thousands of servings of a fruit or vegetable in a day and still not have any health effects from residues. For kale, a woman could eat 18,615 servings in a day and a child could consume 7,446 servings.
For more information on Alliance for Food & Farming, keep reading for updates on AndNowUKnow.
BENTONVILLE, AR - Walmart continues to be a fixture in the news; just last week, the retailer announced a recent expansion in Canada. Days later, news broke of its CTO leaving amidst reports that Walmart contractors had been spying on the retailer. The latest report to come down the newswire states that the retail giant will be closing eight Neighborhood Market stores across the United States, in addition to one Walmart Supercenter in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Employees of the stores closing, who spoke with Business Insider, confirmed that the closing date for most of the affected stores is April 19, 2019. The majority of the stores closing—the Neighborhood Markets—are centered around selling groceries.
The full list of stores closing is as follows:
- 3900 W. Ina Road, Tucson, Arizona
- 1600 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, California
- 712 N. Western Ave., Liberal, Kansas
- 1229 NE. Evangeline Trwy., Lafayette, Louisiana (Supercenter)
- 3603 Broad River Road, Columbia, South Carolina
- 2501 University Commons Way, Knoxville, Tennessee
- 7000 Iron Bridge Road, North Chesterfield, Virginia
- 2864 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Virginia
- 7809 NE. Vancouver Plaza Dr., Vancouver, Washington
With over 4,700 stores in the United States, including 3,570 Supercenters and nearly 700 Neighborhood Markets, Walmart has an undeniably strong retail presence across the United States.
Will these store closures be detrimental to the retailer's longterm grocery plan? For further developments and reports of other retail happenings that directly affect our industry, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - The Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) has its sights set on a social media takeover and plans to debut a new, ambitious strategy at the upcoming Consumer Connection Conference. Conference-goers will be treated to the unveiling of PBH’s new elite influencer network, known as the Fruit and Vegetable Ambassadors in Action (FVAA). The FVAA consists of culinary and nutrition experts, chefs, food photographers, and sports nutrition and fitness gurus, who have a collective reach of nearly one million consumers through social media channels like Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook. This network, combined with PBH’s extensive digital and social reach, will impact more than two million consumers each day.
“Keeping in line with our mission to help Americans enjoy happier, healthier lives by eating more fruits and vegetables every single day, PBH is committed to helping the industry reach consumers when and where they are engaging with fruits and vegetables by cultivating relationships with key influencers,” said Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, PBH President and CEO, in a press release. “We continue to build upon PBH’s successful programming and relationships with retail dietitians as well as with foodservice and culinary leaders. This year, we are excited to further expand our reach to include key influencers who span additional areas of expertise and who are reaching Gen Z and Millennial consumers every day through their own channels.”
Spanning multiple areas of expertise, the carefully-curated group of top-tier digital and social communicators that make up the FVAA have agreed to work with PBH to create content on a monthly basis for a 12-month term.
The retailers attending this year’s conference include Ahold and associated banners, such as Hannaford Supermarket; H-E-B; Redner’s Markets; Albertsons/Safeway; Schnucks Markets; Coburn’s; Hy-Vee; Trader Joe’s; Kroger; and Wakefern/Shoprite and associated banners, such as Inserra Supermarket.
The foundation’s overall retail influencer engagement approach includes retail Registered Dietitians (RDs), along with managers and executives who are decision makers and can activate in-store as well as digital and social promotions. They also have a deep understanding of how produce can play a role within corporate strategy, as well as health and wellness programming.
Attending this year’s conference will be several culinary and foodservice influencers, including Compass Group North America, Sizzler USA, Farmer’s Fridge, Subway, Panda Restaurant Group, Taco Bell, and Yale Hospitality, among others, such as experts in school nutrition and child feeding, culinary education, and retail foodservice operations.
The foundation’s culinary and foodservice influencer engagement approach includes those eager to learn about and share creative ways to include more produce into their business offerings within various segments of the diverse foodservice industry. The influencers have the power to make impactful and lasting changes within their sphere of influence.
PBH Consumer Connection Conference sponsors will have the opportunity to introduce their brands and initiatives with elite influencers through its 1:1 CONNECT platform, or business exchange appointments. Additionally, attendees will have the chance to speak with these experts during the conference’s networking receptions, meals, and educational sessions.
FVAA members attending the 2019 Consumer Connection Conference include:
- Active Eating Advice, Leslie Bonci, MPH, RDN, CSSD, LDN, Owner
- Body Fuel, Andrew Dole, RDN, CSSD, CEC, Everyday Chef
- Chef Suvir Saran, Suvir Suran, Top Chef Master
- Culinary Nutrition Cuisine, Abbie Gellman, MS, RD, CDN, Registered Dietitian/Culinary Nutritionist Lead
- Domesticate Me, LLC, Serena Wolf, Founder and Author
- Eating Beyond the Headlines, Neva Cochran, MS, RDN, LD, FAND, Nutrition Communication Consultant
- Emily Kyle Nutrition, Emily Kyle, MS, RDN, CDN, CLT, Owner
- Flourish Heights, Valerie Agyeman, RD, Nutrition Communications Dietitian
- Fuel Your Passion, Kimberly Schwabenbauer, MS, RD, CSSD, Owner
- Genki Nutrition/Guild Magazine, Jonathan Valdez, MBA, RDN, CSG, CCM, CDE, CPT, Owner/Food Director/Photographer
- Lunchbox Dad, Beau Coffron, President
- MV Nutrition, Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD, Author, Spokesperson, Registered Dietitian, Speaker
- Rosante Living, Adam Rosante, Fitness and Wellness Coach
- Street Smart Nutrition, Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD, Owner
- The Produce Moms, Lori Taylor, Founder + CEO
“Influencers lead with emotion and experience as well as taste and flavor to motivate consumer food decisions, aligning with our new overall brand transformation, also launching at this year’s Consumer Connection Conference,” said Reinhardt Kapsak. “We will build and nurture a community of passionate experts, who authentically and credibly advocate for enjoying more fruits and vegetables.”
The Produce for Better Health 2019 Consumer Connection Conference will be held in Scottsdale, Arizona, from April 22-25. More information about the conference can be found at the website here.
IRVINE, CA - Every morning, I start my day off by checking the weather app. I’m a California girl through and through, which means I need to know if it’s sunny and ASAP—since a lack of sunshine determines my entire day: mood, commute, hair, and all! With a newly expanded app, Weathermelon, the produce industry’s go-to weather resource, is making sure that all of the produce industry is able to do the same, freely and throughout the day.
“Recently, we took the app from a subscription model to a free service. We felt this would be the best option for brand building and bringing important information to more people,” David Robidoux, Founder, shared with me. “Weathermelon has proven to be a great tool for the farmer, seller, and buyer, as having the weather for all growing locations right at their fingertips keeps people much more informed about where markets might be headed.”
In addition, Weathermelon has also made efforts to broaden the amount of data available to users. In response to user requests, Weathermelon added additional commodities such as onions and more growing locations throughout Mexico.
As we continue slowly making our way through 2019, I asked David if the industry can expect any other new and exciting things from Weathermelon.
“Going forward, we have a lot of great ideas for Weathermelon. We want to provide more useful datapoints to help the Weathermelon Family, such as weekly weather history. We hope to expand our database of growing locations to include regions that ship to Europe,” David said. “We also have plans to offer an API service with produce companies and grower associations who wish to share with their customers.”
Talk about a great forecast!
To stay ahead of the latest in produce, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
MISSION, TX - Lone Star Citrus Growers (LSGC) is adding some oomph to its sales force this season. The company recently hired Jacob Jordan—whose time spent in Texas A&M University’s Aggies for Fresh program gives the recent grad a solid foundation in understanding ag and a big leap ahead into citrus sales.
"I was excited to join the LSCG team because it offers a career that allows me to be involved in production agriculture as well as sales,” said Jacob. “The LSCG family was another reason I decided to start my career where I did; the quality of people within this company is unlike anywhere else I’ve seen. It has been an absolute blessing having had the opportunity to work here at LSCG."
Jacob graduated from Texas A&M last year with a degree in business leadership, and as Lone Star Citrus continues to grow on an annual basis, increasing its sales activity along the way, the company has made it a priority to hire additional team members capable of learning the company's systems from the ground up and, ultimately, cultivating their own accounts.
"Jacob's youth, work ethic, and eagerness to learn make him valuable even at such an early stage in his career,” said T.J. Flowers, VP Operations. “Additionally, his personality and friendly demeanor fit well within the sales team. As is the case with any team atmosphere, chemistry is important, and in a sales office, how team members work together is a critical component to success. We look forward to his development into a fully trained salesman."
The addition of Jacob to the team will, LSGC notes, allow the company to both better serve its existing partners and take on new customers, as well.
The AndNowUKnow team congratulates Jacob on his new role; we wish you and the whole Lone Star Citrus team the best in all your endeavors!
IRVINE, CA - Western Growers is adding to its Insurance Services team with a new hire responsible for supporting the production employee benefits to new and existing customers. The association has announced the hiring of Darcie Floyd as its new Director of Employee Benefits.
“Agriculture is such an important industry. Growing up on a ranch in the agriculture capital of the world, I have seen firsthand all of the various ways this industry impacts so many lives,” said Floyd, in a press release. “Western Growers is a fantastic organization. I am excited to be part of such a member-based organization that is built solely for their members’ wellbeing. I look forward to using my role to further enhance our members’ experience.”
According to the company’s press release, Floyd brings over 20 years of professional experience with her to Western Growers. In her prior role, Floyd doubled as a Financial Services Department Manager and Account Executive. In that role, Floyd partnered with the sales team to provide ideas and knowledge. She developed department procedures of performance, documentation, and workflows and worked directly with consultants, carriers, and clients to obtain insurance for individual to midsize businesses.
Additionally, Floyd holds an associate’s degree in business administration and has also earned her Life/Health Agent licenses.
“Darcie’s extensive knowledge of health insurance markets, her tenure in the Fresno area, and proven success makes her the perfect person to fill this position,” said Jeff Gullickson, SVP of Western Growers Insurance Services. “Darcie will lead the charge in partnering with other production professionals to lead a unified sales and service team, and we are excited to see all that she brings to Western Growers.”
Congratulations Darcie, from all of us at the AndNowUKnow team!
WEST SACRAMENTO, CA - Raley’s is welcoming a whole slew of new officers to its Food For Families Board of Directors. The 2019 officers include Jennie Teel-Wolter, who has been named Board President, and Heather Dubinetskiy, who has been named Vice President of the Board.
"At the heart of everything we do at Raley’s Food For Families is an unwavering commitment to bringing healthy foods to the tables that need them most. As we evolve to meet the changing needs of our food banks and the families that rely on them, we're excited about how these new partnerships and programs will impact more families facing hunger," said Teel-Wolter.
Raley’s Food For Families was first founded by Joyce Raley Teel, daughter of Raley’s Founder, Tom Raley, and CEO Emeritus Chuck Collings, in 1986 as a holiday food drive. Since its inception over 33 years ago, the organization has grown to serve nonprofits across Northern California and Nevada. With the addition of Teel-Wolter and Dubinetskiy to the foundation’s board, Raley’s is keeping everything in the family as both are Joyce Raley Teel’s granddaughters.
“My grandmother is an inspiration to me. Raley’s Food For Families continues to bless our neighbors through her legacy,” said Dubinetskiy.
In addition, a few of Raley’s executive team members were also appointed to the Board. Ken Mueller, Chief Financial Officer; Kevin Konkel, Chief Operations Officer; and Becca Whitman, Senior Manager of Community Relations for Raley’s and Executive Director of Food For Families, are all joining Teel-Wolter and Dubinetskiy.
The new appointments come on the heels of the Board’s current President’s departure from the post. Julie Teel, who was elected in 2017 and served two terms, has helped the Board to restructure the nonprofit to increase impact and efficiencies, according to a press release. To carry on her legacy, as well as the legacy of Joyce Raley Teel, the Board will continue to focus on aligning with Raley’s purpose of changing the way the world eats one plate at a time, alleviating hunger by increasing access to nutritious food, and strengthening the distribution of donations and resources to the 12 Feeding America food banks the foundation is now partnered with.
Congratulations to the new 2019 officers! For more produce-related news in all shapes and forms, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
WINNIPEG, CANADA - Everybody's loving Canada these days, and not just for their poutine. Loblaw has announced further Canadian expansion under its No Frills banner, making the company one of many retailers looking to expand in the Great White North.
As we reported earlier this month, parent company Sobeys revealed plans to expand its Farm Boy brand into the Toronto and Ontario area. Loblaw is looking to mirror Sobeys’ expansion with its own expansion plan in Winnipeg, preventing direct competition between the two retailers. The company’s No Frills banner has been around since the 1970s, reports The Winnipeg Free Press, but Loblaw has recently found a new home for the chain in Winnipeg, opening its fifth store in the city this week.
Described as a “hard discount” grocery store, No Frills presents a limited line of offerings, but with substantial everyday low prices and a community-based franchise format. There are no ”frills” in the hard discount model, meaning no pharmacy, florists, or post office, and simplistic grocery displays. The grocery store will also feature “controlled labels” like President’s Choice, No Name, Organics, and Naturally Imperfect, along with popular national brands.
"The idea of everyday low prices is a commitment to being very competitive," said John Pierce, Vice President of Store Operations to The Winnipeg Free Press. "You don’t have to just buy specials. You can trust the prices throughout the store."
This No Frills location is the first of its kind—built specifically as a No Frills store, rather than a converted space like the other locations.
"This one will be the first purpose-built new structure just for No Frills, and that’s very exciting in and of itself," Pierce said.
With its community-centric franchise approach, No Frills franchisees generally come from in-house, recruiting employees from elsewhere in the chain, reported The Winnipeg Free Press.
"I’m happy to be back home in Manitoba and excited to help the Transcona community get value for their grocery budget and leave the store with a great haul to feed their families," Ted Thorpe, who was a No Frills store owner in Kenora, Canada for the past ten years, said in a prepared statement.
According to Pierce, the store’s franchise model works so well because each store is able to become more engaged in its neighborhood, and allows franchises flexibility when stocking items in their stores.
"It’s not an investor model," Pierce said. "It’s an owner-operator model. They are in there every day, quite often with family members. It’s a very hands-on franchise model."
The new store will occupy 32,000 square feet and will be located at 1500 Plessis Rd. in Winnipeg. It is anticipated that the new store will need a workforce of around 75 full- and part-time employees who will be unionized with collective bargaining agreements with the United Food Commercial Workers defining benefits, wage rates, and pensions.
This new store opening is just part of Loblaw's plans for ramping up its Canadian presence. The company’s first No Frills location opened in Manitoba in 2015, and two more are planned for the city in 2019, as well as two other No Frills locations, one in Selkirk and one in Dauphin.
How will Sobeys respond to Loblaw's expansion? Will there be a Canadian turf war? AndNowUKnow will provide updates.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - Some critical environmental issues may drive other companies bananas! But Chiquita knows the importance of saving water and that’s why this banana distributor has announced its efforts to minimize water waste and promote global sustainability on World Water Day.
“Chiquita has committed to only use irrigation where it is strictly necessary and has eliminated the use of wasteful overhead irrigation,” the company stated in its press release. “As part of its farm rejuvenation program, Chiquita is investing in mini and micro irrigation, which currently covers 6.5 percent of its irrigated land, and uses live ground cover and mulches that reduce evaporation to ensure that the greatest efficiency possible for water abstraction. The company also utilizes ‘greenwater' at its Costa Rica and Panama farms, which consists of rainfall, rather than treated ‘blue’ water.”
According to its press release, Chiquita’s innovative farm rejuvenation programs and water recycling systems are helping the company to reduce its water use by over 1.7 billion liters per year. Chiquita is working to reduce the two percent of water used during processing as well.
The company is currently installing water recycling systems and introducing ‘dry de-handling,’ which allows bananas to be separated from the main stalk without using water. Water recycling systems have been installed in 26 percent of Chiquita’s packing stations. This has enabled the company to reduce its water use by over 1.7 billion liters per year, which results in 80 percent more water savings compared to stations without the system.
In reducing water waste, land preservation plays a main role. Chiquita has partnered with The San San Project to improve living conditions and environmental awareness of local farming communities, as well as from maintaining the condition of its banana farms. This includes conserving forests, lagoons, and beaches on the borders of Costa Rica and Panama.
For updates on Chiquita’s water saving initiatives, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
ROCHESTER, NY - Expansion is front and center for New York-based grocer Wegmans, as the retailer has plans to open 17 new stores, at least three of which are set to open in 2019. While the first three stores will open in Virginia Beach, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Brooklyn, New York, the remaining planned locations are scattered up the East Coast and down into the South. This marks a major expansion into the South, North Carolina particularly.
The Raleigh location will be the first of five Wegmans stores in the state and the company is currently looking to hire 475 new employees to run the first store, according to The Triangle Business Journal. The new store will take up 104,000 square feet and will feature a family-friendly restaurant chain called the Burger Bar, which will serve up burgers, sandwiches, and salads, as well as beer and wine by the glass.
The Virginia Beach location is intended to open on April 28 of this year, and according to a press release, hiring and training for the new store is already underway.
“We seek friendly people who are passionate about food and ready to learn and grow,” said Store Manager Mike Coyle, in the press release. “New employees begin training shortly after they’re brought on board so that they’re knowledgeable about our products and well prepared to offer incredible customer service. I couldn’t be more pleased with the quality of applicants we’ve seen here. We’re still hiring and already off to a fantastic start in Virginia Beach.”
The location is looking to fill 315 part-time positions across every department in the store, as well as 185 full-time positions for specialty roles like cooks and sushi chefs.
The Brooklyn location will fill over 74,000 square feet of space at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and will be employing up to 500 workers, including 150 full-time positions, such as entry-level management, and culinary roles like chefs and line cooks, according to The New York Business Journal. Part-time positions are set to be filled at a later date. The store will include a range of exciting features, including a mezzanine space with a bar serving up food, wine, beer, and spirits. The location will be managed by Kevin Cuff, a Wegmans employee who began working for the company 21 years ago when he was just 16 years old.
Wegmans reports that other future planned locations include:
- Greenville, Delaware
- Annapolis, Maryland
- Rockville, Maryland
- Middletown, New Jersey
- Harrison, New York
- Cary, North Carolina
- Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Wake Forest, North Carolina
- West Cary, North Carolina
- Alexandria (Carlyle), Virginia
- Arcola, Virginia
- Reston, Virginia
- Tysons Corner, Virginia
- Wisconsin Avenue (Fannie Mae), Washington D.C.
Will this southern expansion lead to retail dominance? AndNowUKnow will deliver the updates.