MONTEREY, CA - What role do organic meals play in the booming in-store foodservice category? I don’t have the answer for you, but if you’re headed to Organic Produce Summit 2019, prepare to have this question and more answered at one of the six education sessions taking place at the event. “The Future of Organic Meals at Retail” will take attendees on a deep dive into the growth and expansion of organic fresh meals, with Albertsons/Vons’ Produce Sales Manager Sheryl Salazar and Earthbound Farm’s Vice President of Sales/East Glenn Daniels leading the discussion and Four Seasons Produce’s Vice President and General Manager Jonathan Steffy moderating.
“The evolving demands of consumers for fresh and healthy organic meals has created new opportunities in the ever-changing supermarket landscape,” said Steffy. “The session will provide OPS attendees an overview of this growing category from the production side and the perspective from a pair of prominent retailers. As organic fresh produce continues to grow, responding to consumers appetite for organic fresh and convenient meals will be an opportunity for retailers to increase sales.”
The second of six sessions will also touch on the opportunities and challenges those in the prepared organic meals categories face. According to a press release, other educational sessions at OPS 2019 will include:
- Organic Sales Analysis and the Organic Consumer
- What Lies Ahead For Wholesalers of Organic Produce?
- Tackling Food Waste—Good for the Planet and the Bottom Line
- International Insights and Trends on Organic Produce
- International Organic Produce Supply
In addition to the education sessions, the two-day event will witness organic consumer activist Robyn O’Brien and award-winning chef and author Dan Barber take the OPS stage as this year’s two keynote presenters. A Retail Roundtable offering attendees the chance to get up close and personal with the minds behind some of the nation’s largest retailers will also be a highlight at the fourth annual OPS.
If you’re looking for something a little more hands-on and network-y, OPS 2019 will also include a few field tours for retailers and buyers, a gala opening night reception, and a trade show featuring 148 producers and processors of organic fresh produce from across North America and the world.
This year, over 1,400 attendees are expected to gather in Monterey, CA, on July 10-11 for another year of organic excellence, and I hope that includes you! To register for OPS 2019, visit click here.
To stay ahead of the latest trade show news, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
TEMPLE, PA - This will be my first time at the Southeast Produce Council's (SEPC) Southern Exposure, and I’m already gearing up for who and what I want to see. On the list is Giorgio Fresh, whose new packaging I’m dying to see. I spoke with Greg Sagan, EVP Sales and Marketing, to learn more.
“Consumers are at the core of everything we do, and when it came time to a refresh, we really thought hard about our consumers and what they want,” Greg began. “Consumers are looking for simplicity: our labels have a cleaner look with this refresh. We wanted to make it easier for the consumer to shop, and we accomplished that through color coding by segment. Additionally, the names of the mushrooms are more prominent in the label—making it clear and easy to see.”
Giorgio redid the packaging for its white, brown, and exotic mushrooms as well as its organic line. Greg explained to me that the company’s long-time retail customers like the new bold look and brighter colors.
“They appreciate the added ease to the consumer that helps them see exactly what is available on the shelf,” he explained to me.
With its 90th anniversary under its belt, Giorgio has doubled down on its mushroom offerings. In the past year, the company launched BLENDABELLA—a portabella tapenade—and Savory Wild—a portabella jerky. It also launched a new, consumer-focused website that offers a taste of what they want: how to make mushrooms as tasty as possible!
“Mushrooms are a recipe-centric item, so we want to give consumers great access to recipes,” he said. “We will continue to build up our recipe arsenal each month.”
A mushroom recipe arsenal? Sign me up!
Be sure to visit the folks over at Giorgio Fresh—booth #1311—to see the new packaging for yourself!
IRVINE, CA - Good morning, AndNowUKnow readers!
Today, I am bringing you some of the category and weather news from around the industry. Check back twice weekly to see where the rain is falling, the sun is shining, and everything in between.
CALIFORNIA RAIN – CITRUS / BERRY HARVEST TO BE AFFECTED
Another big storm is coming to California this week, starting today. The San Joaquin Valley will receive between 2.0 to 2.5” over the next three days. This will put a damper on the harvesting of citrus coming from the southern part of valley.
The coastal regions will be hit hard with rain totals ranging from 1.50” up to 3.00”, depending on the growing location over today and tomorrow. Looks like harvests will be affected in Oxnard and Santa Maria. Salinas will also see rain from this storm.
The desert growing regions of Coachella and Imperial are not expected to see any rain, but they will experience cooler temperatures associated with the storm. Starting Thursday temperatures will begin to drop with maximum temeperatures in the high 60°s to low 70°s through next week. This is much cooler than normal for March.
There is another storm forming to hit California next Monday as well. We will update you on Friday. The desert regions may see some rain from next week’s storm.
MEXICAN GRAPES
Colder temperatures are coming to Hermosillo, Mexico, this weekend and next week. Currently high temperatures are in the upper 80°s and low 90°s, with lows in the upper 50°s. Starting Friday, temperatures will drop by 10° across the board with highs only getting up to the mid-70°s and lows in the upper 40°s.
MEXICAN LIMES
Rain and cold weather are hitting Martinez de la Torre right now. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow will see rain and maximum temperatures in the 60°s. This should put a halt to harvests for a few days. If you're buying limes, you might want to be a little more vigilant with the quality hitting McAllen this week.
FLORIDA
Temperatures will cool today through Thursday with highs in the mid 70°, but will begin to warm again starting Friday. Plant City will only see highs in the 60s and lows down around 40° tonight and tomorrow. By Saturday, March 9, the high will be back into the mid-80°s. There is a slight chance of rain in Florida this Sunday.
MEXICO
All major growing regions in Mexico look good. Temperatures are well within normal for this time of the year and no rain in the forecast. Expect quality and supplies to be good across the board.
Thank you again for your support, and we will be back next week with another update.
SALISBURY, NC - Ahold Delhaize-owned, +1000-store-strong banner Food Lion is making good on its "Easy, Fresh and Affordable... You Can Count on Food Lion Every Day!" strategy; the company has announced a new series of remodels in the greater Myrtle Beach, Florence, Columbia, and Charleston, SC, markets. The company announced plans to invest $158 million toward remodeling the stores, lowering prices, and expanding the assortment of available products in 92 area stores throughout the next year
“Food Lion is proud to have been a part of the many towns and cities we serve throughout South Carolina for 43 years, and we are even more excited to bring exciting new offerings, services, and a new look to these markets,” said President Meg Ham, in a press release. “We look forward to making significant investments in our stores, our associates, and our communities to offer a new grocery shopping experience. Our mission is to ensure our customers can easily find fresh, quality products to nourish their families at affordable prices every day, delivered with caring, friendly service every time they shop. We look forward to reintroducing our renovated stores later this summer.”
Food Lion is also planning to hire nearly 2,000 new associates at its newly remodeled stores as part of its commitment to enhancing the customer experience.
The stores will feature the following highlights:
- Six stores will have walk-in produce coolers designed to keep produce fresher, longer. These stores are in the towns of Andrews, Columbia, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, and Ravenel, SC
- In-store made hand-battered fried chicken in the deli bakery department
- More local products such as beer and wine, and natural and organic selections
Stores will offer an expanded variety and assortment of products that are relevant to customers in each store and each community, including more local, natural, organic, and gluten-free items. The stores will also feature enhanced deli/bakery services and customer service as a result of new customer-centric training for associates at every store.
All 92 stores are to remain open during the remodeling and, once complete, will offer greater ease of navigation to shoppers. To date, Food Lion would have remodeled 80 percent of its network of more than 1,000 stores across its 10-state operating area once these renovations are complete.
A complete list of the stores in this market is available here, and AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you updates as the banner upgrades its locations across the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic.
WATSONVILLE, CA - Days before the Southeast Produce Council’s (SEPC) Southern Exposure is set to start, California Giant Berry Farms welcomes sale veteran Helena Beckett to its team as Retail Sales Account Manager. She will be working with the retail team led by Nick Chappell, Director of Retail Sales, along with Jonathan Sparks, Jerry Connery, and Sherry Castro.
“California Giant is highly regarded in our community and the industry, and I am excited to be part of them team,” stated Beckett in a press release.
The press release noted that Beckett’s addition to the staff rounds out the sales department and strengthens the company’s experienced sales team. With 15 years of sales and category management experience servicing top retailers in the United States under her belt, Beckett adds to the depth and experience of the team.
“The timing couldn’t be better as we look ahead to peak berry season right around the corner,” stated Chappell. “Having a strong sales person like Helena step into our company with credibility and industry knowledge is a huge benefit.”
As Cal Giant anticipates another banner year in fresh berry sales, it relates the message that the entire sales team has years of sales experience serving retail and foodservice trading partners, along with sales support and logistics teams working full-time to bring to the company’s products to market.
“This is an exciting time for our company as we expand our department and build on our team to serve our customers every day and provide the support needed to get the job done and ensure the best service,” said Anthony Gallino, Vice President of Sales.
Congratulations to Helena and the Cal Giant team!
NEWPORT BEACH, CA - As consumers clamor for both health and convenience, retailers and meal kit companies alike are scrambling to satiate those desires. True Food Innovations has recently announced the launch of a new line of products under the True Chef™ and Chef'd™ meal kit brands. The meal kits will feature fresh, preservative-free ingredients and clean labels, and require only 15 minutes of prep and cook time. The meal kits will be available for purchase in all Gelson’s Markets locations.
"We are extremely excited to relaunch the Chef'd and True Chef brands in Gelson's Markets and it is a testament to the quality of product and our ability to meet the highest standards of Gelson's and its customer base,” said Alan True, Founder & CEO of True Food Innovations.
Both meal kits have serious health food creds—containing no artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. Shoppers will be treated to a selection of eight recipes from both brands, including Truffle Butter Sirloin Steak, Saffron Tomato Chicken, and Chicken Marsala.
"Our strategy is to provide retailers with a multi-brand offering with the ability to provide meal kit options based on price, demographics, and geography; Gelson's agreed with us and has built a destination with both the True Chef and Chef'd brands for its consumers," said Robert Jones, President of True Food Innovations, in a press release.
True Food Innovations’ meal kits are specifically designed for retail, and the company has developed first-of-its-kind patent-pending formulations. Shoppers can now purchase meal kits at their favorite club or grocery store, without needing to subscribe to home delivery services, while enjoying delicious, safer, and all-natural, restaurant-quality meals made right at home.
"We are very excited for this partnership. We pride ourselves in providing our customers top quality product and look forward to a successful relationship with True Chef & Chef'd meal kits," said Paul Kneeland, Senior Produce Executive, Gelson's Markets.
For the latest in retail happenings, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
CASTROVILLE, CA - The Southeast Produce Council’s (SEPC) 2019 Southern Exposure is right around the corner—promising Produce like it's 1999 for the 20th anniversary event. Produce’s best, brightest, and most Prince-enthused will descend on Orlando, Florida, to network, learn, and celebrate.
We spoke with Diana McClean, Senior Director of Marketing for Ocean MistFarms, on the eve of the show, to find out more about the the California company’s plans to showcase its Season & Steam line, its iconic artichokes, and SEPC’s 20 years connecting produce buyers and suppliers in the spirit of Southern hospitality.
“The Southern Exposure event is a well-attended event with quality content. It is in our best interest to be where our customer’s are and the SEPC team does a great job ensuring that value to us as an exhibitor year after year,” Diana told me. “We have just wrapped up a spectacular winter Artichoke Season in Coachella Valley, California. The first ever winter artichoke promotion, Peace Love and Artichokes, was very well received and we captured a lot of attention for our winter growing region. Early March is when we turn the corner toward our Spring season in our home base of Castroville, California, where we grow a full line of quality fresh vegetables in addition to our flag ship artichokes, the official state vegetable of California!”
And, while we all love these edible flowers from the Golden State, Diana let me know that Ocean Mist Farms has more than one reason for making the coast-to-coast trip to Florida.
“Ocean Mist Farms is more than artichokes!” Diana explained. “Our Season & Steam product line is gaining market traction as a result of consistent supply and quality. The Ocean Mist Organic program continues to grow with increased production acreage. Our customers can continue to count on the same integrity in quality standards and service levels from this organic brand as they do with our nearly 100 years young Ocean Mist Farms brand.”
Visit booth #1313 at SEPC's Southern Exposure to learn more about Ocean Mist Farms.
For more on all topics fresh and flavorful, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
SEATTLE, WA - For better or for worse, Amazon’s (strangle)hold on grocery persists. Last week, the e-tailer teased plans of a new U.S. chain, different from both its Whole Foods and Go operations. Following the news, CNBC reported that major grocery names, including Walmart, Kroger, and Costco, took hits in their shares.
“The stock of the hour, just in the last half hour or so, we’ve seen shares of Kroger take a huge dip to the down side intraday,” said Dominic Chu, Markets Reporter. “Now, this is on the heels of Dow Jones headlines saying Amazon could possibly be looking to unveil lower-priced grocery stores in addition to Whole Foods operations.”
In addition to Kroger, Chu pointed to Walmart, Sprouts Farmers Market, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and Costco also showing intraday negativity.
Yahoo Finance noted that Kroger’s shares dropped 4.5%, while Walmart’s dropped 1.1%, as investors assumed Amazon’s latest move would affect grocers negatively. The news source argued that this assumption is “absurd,” pointing to the shuttering of 365 locations and Whole Foods’ pricy reputation as signs that Amazon’s hold on grocery retail is weak at best.
Already, many of the retailers strained by Amazon’s announcement have started to bounce back, with Kroger’s and Sprouts’ shares back on the rise.
Is Amazon losing its precarious place as puppet master of grocery as Yahoo Finance suggests? Or is its new grocery chain the key to solidifying its top spot forever? AndNowUKnow will continue to keep an eye on all grocery retail movements.
VAUGHAN, ONTARIO - One of the hardest things for me about being in this industry is trying to explain to consumers that there is an art to this business, and as such they might not know things they think they have figured out. Like, for example, what a Navel orange should taste like.
Mimmo Franzone, Director of Produce and Floral at Longo Brothers Fruit Markets, recently shared with ANUK that this is exactly why his team holds CITRI-LICIOUS as spring approaches.
“Every year we run this event in late February or early March as we feel the Navels, specifically, are at their peak and would like our guest to experience what an orange should taste like. The specialty citrus in some cases is a challenge as they are coming to an end, but we have a great partner that has fruit for us throughout the month of March. Featuring an extensive selection of citrus allows our guests to taste and experience the entire category,” Mimmo explains.
This year’s CITRI-LICIOUS launched Friday, March 1st and runs through the 14th, shining a proper spotlight on all things citrus and creating an entire store experience for Longo’s guests.
“From baked goods, citrus seafood, and other protein dishes, and also in-store freshly-squeezed juice such as grapefruit and orange...it’s all hands on deck when we have events like this,” Mimmo shares when I observe that not just the fruit is promoted, but all the things it can be an ingredient in.
When I ask about other points of differentiation, he continues, “We utilize social media heavily; there’s ample high-graphic POS in store—it’s covered in three pages of our circular—and last but not least, we cross-merchandise at our stores with all the in-store baked goods from our own Longo’s Bakery.”
While there is a specialty citrus highlight to this campaign with an emphasis on seasonal, and a short season at that, Mimmo says that Longo’s sees plenty of opportunity to get folks to try new varieties and new ways of consuming them.
“As for the specialty citrus, we have a Why Not Try campaign which consists of a full demo and tasting initiative that’s put on by our own team members. All these items have their own point-of-sale material that describes the fruit's taste profile, which acts a great education piece for our guests,” he says.
As our industry continues to diversify its offerings, look to Longo’s and those in its league to help ensure consumers can keep up with all the innovations! As for more examples of ways the buy-side and supply-side are working together to maximize fresh produce potential, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
IRVINE, CA - It’s that time of year again—the ‘cados are coming, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier. This year, the California Avocado Commission (CAC) is working on building hype for the upcoming California avocado season, focusing on consumers, social media, and working with retailers and foodservice operators to create timely crop transitions and customized promotions. Some retailers have already jumped on board, transitioning to California avocados, with early harvest inventory building in January to satiate the taste buds of consumers watching a certain “Big Game” in February. The commission has clearly hit the ground running, giving shoppers a lot to look forward to.
“The commission is excited for the California avocado season start and the focused marketing support that is about to begin,” said Jan DeLyser, Vice President Marketing. “We’re building anticipation, letting targeted consumers know that the season is almost here via social media, The Scoop blog, and communication by California avocado brand advocates.”
Currently, the estimate for the California avocado crop for CAC's fiscal year (November 2018 to October 2019) is a whopping 175 million pounds, which is around half the volume of the 2017-18 fiscal year. Mainly California and the West will be targeted for distribution, with the harvest season expected to build into March, with peak volume availability April through July. However, some volume may still continue later, especially from California’s northernmost avocado growing regions.
This season has seen considerable rainfall in California avocado growing regions early this season, causing some delays in harvesting.
“Winter rains are very welcome, helping with tree health and fruit sizing,” said DeLyser, in a press release. “The California avocado growers whose crops were adversely impacted by last year’s extreme temperatures are continuing to build for the future with good cultural practices and some replanting.”
The commission will continue its Made of California marketing campaign this year, as customized marketing programs with participating retailers and foodservice operators is a major component of the California avocado support plan.
How will this year’s avocado season fare when compared to last year? Keep reading AndNowUKnow for all your crop updates.