BAKERSFIELD, CA - As we round into spring, the CPMA Convention and Trade Show is fast approaching—and hot on its heels is the extended grape-growing season for Anthony Vineyards. Though many grape growers have experienced setbacks during the recent season, Anthony Vineyards has continued to expand, diversify its offerings, and add category-growing innovations to its portfolio.
I recently spoke to Rob Spinelli, Sales, to learn more about the ways in which Anthony Vineyards continues to grow, provide for its partners, and court consumers with new on-trend varieties, expanded organic acreage, and more.
“The main thing with Anthony Vineyards is that we’re in a growth pattern still—in many ways,” Rob tells me. “In addition to our conventional offerings, we’re going to continue to grow our organic program—our line of grapes underneath the Anthony’s Organics label. We’re going to continue to grow that part of our portfolio. And we have our new specialty varieties that will be coming out—Funny Fingers, Candy Hearts, Candy Dreams, Candy Snaps, Sweet Hearts, and we’ll have the Sweet Sapphire, as well, to complement our entire program.”
Rob tells me that, this new “third term”—specialty in addition to organic and conventional—is a big part of Anthony Vineyards’ growth plans. And with limited availability and enhanced flavor profiles, these new niche offerings are adding appeal to produce departments throughout North America.
“These varieties are still new to the grape world, and they can be merchandised as a special grape to the consumer,” says Rob. “They’re in short supply—there aren’t a lot out there. These are limited volume, in-and-out of stock products, that are lending excitement to the grape category right now. They have a better flavor profile and eating experience. We have one, the Candy Snap, with a hint of strawberry; it’s unique, and it’s different. It’s not your traditional red grape. The Candy Heart has more of a raspberry flavor; it’s a grape but it has a different eating experience.”
Anthony Vineyards is exploring a number of options intended to enhance its early season offerings out of the Coachella Valley, too, Rob tells me. In addition to the traditional Flame Seedless and Sugarone, the company is trialing Valley Pearl and Sweet Globe varieties, eventually transitioning into its San Joaquin Valley growing—with an emphasis on growing niche, conventional, and organic offerings.
“Probably around fifty percent of what Anthony Vineyards currently sells is organic. And that will start in the middle of May in the Coachella Valley and go all the way through until the first week of December,” Rob notes. “And we will have a full line of red, green, and black seedless grapes—with a number of new varieties, as well.”
Attendees at the CPMA Convention and Trade Show in Montreal, Quebec, can visit the Anthony Vineyard team at the Palais des congrès de Montréal: Exhibition and Convention Center at booth #923, April 2-4, to learn more about the company’s expansive agenda.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for more fresh produce news.
NIJVERDAL, NETHERLANDS - SmartWash Solutions™ is heading to the Old World! As part of its latest European expansion plan, SmartWash set up a new headquarters in Nijverdal, Netherlands, for a boots-on-the-ground approach to advancing food safety technology to more markets.
SmartWash has developed, according to a press release, groundbreaking advancements in food safety technology by combining science, technology, and engineering. As a result, the company has brought Pinpoint Process Control™ to food processing wash systems all over North America and now, as a part of its expansion strategy, SmartWash will be helping to decrease cross contamination and improve the management of food safety systems in Europe.
"When we saw the revolutionary impact of our products in the United States, it became clear the technology was essential to be shared across Europe," said Steven Swarts, Director of Business Development. "This led us to the creation of SmartWash Solutions B.V., the headquarters for the business unit in Europe. SmartWash Solutions has already helped to provide billions of safe servings across the world. But now we have the ability to support our customers with boots on the ground in Europe."
SmartWash® was originally developed by a U.S. fresh-cut food processor. Now the product will be supporting the European fresh cut industry. And, thanks to its new headquarters in the Netherlands, the company can cut lead time and transportation costs in the new market.
"Our goal is to bring the highest level of food safety to processors worldwide. Our scientists and engineers use the research gained from our pilot plant to understand exactly what is needed on the production floor, and how the technology performs in operational environments, before we bring anything to market," said Ewoud Buter, General Manager of SmartWash Solutions BV, before noting that the company still uses its original pilot plant to research and develop technologies on an industrial scale.
Since its inception, SmartWash has tested and proven its products are effective in U.S.- and European-based laboratory studies and food processing operations.
"The system provides a significantly higher level of process control to water chemistry, mitigating cross-contamination, while potentially improving operational costs such as labor, chemical use, and water," continued Buter. "We provide processors with an integrated system and full-service partnership, including state-of-the-art equipment, expert calibration and maintenance, extensive training, and easy integration into existing wash line systems."
SmartWash’s technologies are now available across Europe.
For more news like this, AndNowUKnow has got you covered.
LONDON, UK - Could a new convenience store–the likes of which will make Amazon Go tremble—be on the horizon? Aldi recently launched its first Aldi Local store in southwest London in Balham, leading to obvious speculation about the retailer’s plan in the convenience sector.
According to a report from Yahoo Finance, Aldi said that its new brand may be rolled out to four other existing stores in Archway, Kilburn, Kingston, and Tooting, if this trial is successful. The new Aldi Local store is 6,000 square feet—half the size of the average Aldi store—and features 300 fewer products.
An Aldi spokesperson stated that, “This is not a move into convenience retailing. The main difference is that it doesn’t sell bulkier items that shoppers would have difficulty transporting without a car.”
Furthermore, the new name—Aldi Local—was given to make shoppers aware of the difference between the smaller and larger stores. She also noted that the Aldi Local is much larger than regular convenience stores.
However, a retail analyst at GlobalData, Thomas Brereton, asserted that the new Aldi Local store showed Aldi’s desire to expand into the convenience sector. As millennial shoppers shift shopping habits, the growth in the sector continues.
“Convenience growth remains largely driven by an increase in the number of consumers doing high frequency, low value food shops, particularly prevalent amid the 25-34 age group,” Brereton said.
Will Aldi’s newest format make its way across the pond? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
ORLANDO, FL - At Southern Exposure, the industry was challenged to “Produce like it’s 1999,” and those at Good Foods really brought the Prince flair to the show floor. Impossible to miss, Good Food’s Director of Marketing, Mandy Bottomlee, wore a bright purple jacket, white ruff, and round purple sunglasses. Was she trying to make it (purple) rain produce? She was certainly trying to make it rain plant-based dips. Read on to find out more!
“We’ve got our Queso, Avocado Pesto, Buffalo, Creamy Cilantro, and Tzatziki,” Mandy tells me. “They’re all cauliflower, almond-based. They’re [also] gluten-free, dairy-free, with no added sugars and no preservatives, and 30-50 calories per serving for the whole line.”
Can you imagine the possibilities? Queso dip with bell peppers (or chips, I won’t judge)! Avocado Pesto on zoodles! Buffalo on chicken wings and celery! Creamy Cilantro on your tacos! Tzatziki straight out of the package! (Just me?) The possibilities are endless!
And since they’re low-carb and low-fat, they make a great, produce-forward option on retail shelves.
To learn more, watch our exclusive interview above.
COSTA RICA - This new water system is bananas! Fyffes banana farm Finca Esmeralda in Costa Rica has implemented a closed-water recycling system, which has successfully reduced water consumption from 200 to 40 litres per box of bananas.
“The water coming out of these tanks runs along an off-flow drain and organic matter gets removed from the water using wire screens,” said Hugo Hays, Fyffes Global Director for Food Safety and Compliance. “Next the water travels down a ramp called a ‘hydraulic leap,’ gathering speed and turbulence at which point we add Alum.”
Hays continued, stating that “Alum, or Aluminate Sulphate, is a mineral frequently used in conventional water purification processes to remove suspended particles in the water. By adding Alum it causes the latex in the water to flocculate (cluster/clump together) and precipitate to the bottom of the water column.”
On World Water Day, Fyffes was eager to share the technique deployed to reduce water consumption during the banana packing process. The process involves using various tanks and stages so water can be reused while maintaining the highest levels of sanitation and cleanliness.
“The water then makes its way to the flocculation tank,” added Hays. “This is a cleverly designed tank where a zigzag path is followed by the water, traveling with speed at first (to ensure the Alum and water thoroughly mix) but gradually slows, allowing the floccules to form. The water then enters the settler tank at a very slow speed.”
After settling into this slow speed, Hays noted, the particles of latex and alum begin to sift to the bottom of a tank, separating from clean water.
“Here, the flocculates settle at the bottom of the tank, leaving clean water on top, ready to be used again,” said Hays. “Finally, the clean water is skimmed off and collects in a reservoir tank ready to be reused. A small amount of chlorine is added to the water before, once again, re-entering the de-latexing tanks. The flocculated material from the bottom of the settler tank gets collected and placed in a separate tank which consists of a filter system, allowing excess water to drain off and return to the recycling system. The latex-alum residue which remains is then suitable as a fertilizer in the field.”
According to a press release, the biggest hurdle with reusing water is removing latex; “a naturally occurring protein, which leaches from the bananas while they sit in aptly named ‘de-latexing’ water tanks, before being de-handed and getting placed on selection trays.”
For Fyffes sustainability strategy, water conservation is a massive source of strength for the company and contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for clean water and sanitation.
For more updates on how Fyffes will continue to use its water recycling system, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
IOWA AND NEBRASKA - “It looked like an ocean,” said Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds when she toured western Iowa this week, according to USA Today, and the images coming out of the Midwest states certainly paint a grim picture. Triggered by the “bomb cyclone” that hit the region last week, rivers rose to historic levels and eventually overflowed from the onslaught of rain and rapidly melting snow. The flooding has been so severe that it has cut off railway access to the region, and left many residents of the area stranded.
According to CNN, a state of emergency has been declared in Iowa, Nebraska, and even Wisconsin, as flood records were surpassed in 17 places across Nebraska alone. Aside from the threat to the population of the affected areas, the flooding has had devastating effects on farming regions and transportation, with costs to the public and private sectors already estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Around 200 miles of state highway are thought to be damaged or destroyed, along with 14 bridges, reported The New York Times.
“We deal with flooding all the time,” said Kyle Schneweis, the Director of the Nebraska Department of Transportation to The New York Times, but “when you talk about 1,500 miles of our system underwater, that’s an entirely different scope and scale.”
On Tuesday, Federal Railroad Administrator Ronald Batory declared an emergency event for railroad operations due to the flooding, reported Progressive Railroading. The region’s BNSF Railway Co., Union Pacific Railroad, and Amtrak Missouri River Runner systems were impacted heavily. Amtrak suspended its train service, while Union Pacific’s maintenance crew worked around-the-clock to clear trees and debris from tracks and repair track structures. BNSF subdivisions in Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri are still out of service, with normal train flow likely to be down for an extended period, reported BNSF officials.
"We continue to closely monitor other areas along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers that are at risk for service outages in the days ahead," BNSF officials said to Progressive Railroading. "In response to any service interruptions, we will continue to utilize re-route options where possible to minimize disruption to traffic flows."
State officials reported to CNN that reports were coming in that farmers were losing a significant amount of stored grain and livestock, and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services have warned that the flooding may contaminate private water supplies.
"Cloudiness or a change in taste or smell are signs of possible contamination," said Sue Dempsey, Drinking Water Administrator, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, to CNN. "If there is any indication that the water supply has been breached by floodwaters, even without noticeable changes in taste or smell, I encourage residents to get a water sample kit for testing."
Unfortunately, there is no silver lining for the Midwestern states, as CNN reports that flooding could worsen because the snowpacked and frozen ground is unable to absorb incoming rainwater, along with the fact that the snow is beginning to melt. The news source reports that further flooding could occur in Nebraska and Iowa, and Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois are also expected to see a few more feet of rain before this weather event is over. Some experts even predict that this will be a problem for the area deep into spring, as AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok attributed the weather event at least partially to El Nino.
"El Niño is likely to persist through the spring and not weaken like it usually does this time of the year," said Pastelok to USA Today.
For developing news on this story, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
YAKIMA, WA - CPMA is fast approaching and with it, the opportunity for produce growers throughout North America to connect with our Canadian counterparts, learn, network, and showcase what is wonderful about the fresh produce industry. And not to be outdone, Domex Superfresh Growers is taking to the always intimate trade show, held this year in Montreal, Quebec, April 2-4.
“CPMA is a smaller, personable show where the event is scheduled around seeing everyone multiple times,” Dan Harrington, Account Manager for Superfresh Growers. “You really do get to see who you want to see. CPMA is about doing things together in an informal setting. It’s an invaluable experience. We find that Canadian consumers are highly in tune with fresh, as buying fruits and vegetables is more of a daily activity. We have found that our retail partners understand the importance of fresh, since they too are shopping for fruit and produce daily.”
Noting that fresh food is an integral part of Canadian consumers’ daily diets, Dan tells me that Superfresh Growers is fully prepared to support its partners in the Great White North—including organic offerings and a star variety in Autumn Glory that is lighting up the media.
“We have plenty of apples and pears to support summer programs in Canada, with no need to bring in southern hemisphere fruit,” said Dan. “Our core apple varieties are year-long programs now, and our Honeycrisp apples will be available through most of the summer.”
Dan continued: “Autumn Glory apples are making waves around the world, as this year’s volume has been ample to support global sales. We are seeing more and more demand for our signature apple that has notes of caramel and cinnamon. In this 2018-2019 season, Autumn Glory has been featured in Men’s Health, Bicycling Online, The FeedFeed, MSN Lifestyle, and Medium.”
Additionally, Dan noted that organic apples and pears continue to be critical drivers of category growth in North America.
And Superfresh Growers will have supplies, this year, that nearly bridge the gap to new crop harvest—helping the company’s retail partnership meet the growing demand for organic offerings.
Visit booth #310 at the CPMA Convention and Trade Show in n Montreal, Quebec, April 2-4, to learn more from Superfresh Growers.
ORLANDO, FL - Disney World isn't the only magical place on Earth. At this year’s Southern Exposure, magic abounded—and I was lucky enough to witness it! Helping illuminate some of the product goodness for me was Earthbound Farm’s Glenn Daniels, Vice President of Sales, East, as we talked about the company’s multi-leaf lettuce offerings.
“We’re really focusing on our Rosé blend and our baby red butter blend, which has a really nice, sweet crunch that the consumer is looking for,” Glenn shared with me.
Earthbound Farm is also upping its focus on Mighty Spinach, a versatile product that features Tatsoi, Pak-Choi, and Bok Choy, and makes for a perfect stir-fry addition.
“The spinach and kale—anything with spinach is in right now,” he said. “Spinach and kale are doing very, very well.”
Earthbound Farm is bringing back its chopped and bagged Romaine salad as well, and ensures retailers that there’s an opportunity on the shelves for chopped Romaine—as many consumers come into the bagged salad category looking for an iceberg and Romaine-based salad.
For the entirety of the interview, please watch our exclusive interview above.
WATSONVILLE, CA - Driscoll’s recently filed a complaint in federal court against California Berry Cultivars (CBC), a strawberry breeding company, in addition to the company’s Co-Founder, Douglas Shaw, alleging patent infringement and conversion of Driscoll’s proprietary strawberry varieties.
“Driscoll’s has made it our mission to produce fresh berries that consistently delight consumers through a hallmark of great flavor,” said Chairman and CEO Miles Reiter, in a recent press release. “We’ve been able to differentiate the flavor of our berries by investing in our dedicated, traditional breeding program, which provides exclusive varieties to hundreds of independent family farmers. We believe in a fair and competitive marketplace, and will take required actions to protect our research, patents, and proprietary varieties.”
The press release noted that the suit follows earlier litigation between UC Davis and California Berry Cultivars in May 2017, where a jury found CBC had committed willful patent infringement. As a result of the trial, certain CBC breeding records were made public, revealing that CBC had been breeding with several of Driscoll’s varieties.
“We will stand up for our patented varieties and the farming families who rely on our breeding programs,” said Driscoll’s General Counsel Tom O’Brien. “Driscoll’s and all of the strawberry breeding programs in California have an interest in fostering fair competition that benefits consumers and growers. We cannot and will not abide by the illegal and unauthorized use of our varieties and believe that all breeding programs should be protected from these kinds of actions.”
To review the full complaint, click here.
And to continue following this suit and others that affect the produce industry, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
CORAL GABLES, FL - Richard Contreras, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, recently announced his intention to resign from Fresh Del Monte. Contreras will continue to serve in his present capacity until March 25, 2019. He will then focus on the transition process until April 12, 2019, the effective date of his resignation.
According to a statement made by Fresh Del Monte, Eduardo Guarita Bezerra will serve as the company’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective March 25, 2019. Bezerra will also serve as the Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer.
He most recently held the position of Global Finance Integration Lead at Monsanto from January 2017 to February 2019. In this role, he was responsible for the financial integration associated with Monsanto’s acquisition by Bayer AG. In addition, Bezerra served at Monsanto as its International Business Chief Financial Officer and Head of Global Finance Shared Services from September 2014 until December 2016, as well as its Brazil Chief Financial Officer from 2009 until August 2014. He has served in multiple financial, commercial, and strategic roles internationally during his tenure of over 20 years with Monsanto, including in Brazil, Argentina, Central America, and the United States.
Congratulations to Eduardo on this new role! Follow us here at AndNowUKnow for the latest in exec shakeups as they relate to our industry.