KONA, HAWAII - Ho brah, bumbucha avocado big as one keki! For non-locals that roughly translates to, ‘wow man, the large avocado is as big as a child,” and is describing the enormous 6 pound avocados that dropped off of one tree in Kona. Imagine how many pieces of avocado toast you could get from just one!
Kenjo Fukumitsu and his family have been growing some seriously epic ‘cados in the land of Aloha from a tree first grafted by his brother in 1941, Simplemost reports. The avocados are, on average, the size of a newborn baby—over six pounds. Many of the giant avocados get donated to the Urgent Care of Kona as Fukumitsu has more than he can handle.
“We had so much, all falling down, and the pigs eating it, so I share them with some of our friends,” Fukumitsu told Insider. “If you eat it during November month, they’re very watery. But after that, it’s good.”
The current Guinness World Record ‘cado is five pounds eight ounces and was also grown in Hawaii (I’m sensing a trend). A physician at Urgent Care of Kona, Dr. Joy McElroy, contacted Guinness World Record on behalf of Fukumitsu to see if his avocados could set a new record. Unfortunately, the authentication process takes 12 weeks, and the fruit is unlikely to last long enough to gain the official title.
In true local fashion, Fukumitsu was unphased by the prospect of losing out on the record.
“We didn’t think nothing of it; we just pick and eat it. And we sold some,” added Fukumitsu.
Looks like I need to be booking a trip back home to Hawaii, so I can make six pounds of guacamole. For more record breaking produce news, keep reading AndNowUKnow. Aloha nui loa!
NEW YORK, NY - Apples, but make it fashion! Last weekend, the Envy™ apple did just that after making another appearance at the internationally acclaimed New York Fashion Week (NYFW). As part of a partnership with Project Runway alum Christian Siriano, the Envy apple walk walk fashion baby’d it up at the AW19 Runway Show, proving produce has what it takes to vogue with the Kendall Jenners and Gigi Hadids of the world.
“Christian Siriano is renowned for creating special, beautiful clothing that can be worn by everyone. His sophisticated style and elegant point of view complement the unique traits of Envy apples,” said Karin Gardner, Director of Corporate Communications for Oppy, a partner of Envy brand owner T&G Global. “Envy has earned a special status but is also accessible and can be appreciated by everyone who loves a really good apple. It’s an indulgence that anyone can enjoy.”
As part of the show, Envy apples were featured front-and-center at an apple tasting bar, which boasted a menu of Envy cocktails and more. In addition, Siriano himself praised the Envy as the ideal backstage treat to his one-million-plus Instagram fans, according to a press release, which trendsetters and apple aficionados can watch over and over again on the brand’s Instagram story.
In a press release, Oppy noted that Envy apples are also stealing the show at retail, chalking up a 40+ percent increase in year-over-year dollar sales as of December 2018.
“This sweet, crisp, red apple is outpacing all others at an exceptional rate. Envy is coming on strong in the premium apple landscape, gaining a great reputation for intense flavor and overall satisfaction—and valuable leading contribution to the apple category,” said David Nelley, Oppy’s Vice President of Categories, who also noted that these rates are only climbing thanks to the Envy apple’s NYFW campaign. “Our point-of-sale materials, consumer contests, social content, and even some fun billboards popping up around the Big Apple are bringing the promotion alive at shelf.”
Conventional and organic Envy apples are available now from Oppy, with the two-pound organic pouch bag this season’s must-have accessory in and outside of the grocery store.
To stay ahead of fresh produce news like this, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a new, bipartisan agreement, Congress has developed a tentative plan for United States border security. According to a report in Bloomberg, the deal would provide $1.375 billion for 55 new miles (88.5 kilometers) of border fencing in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley area—potentially a sweet enough deal for Trump to call off threats shutting down the government once again come Friday’s deadline.
Though short of the $5.7 billion wall funding that Trump has been asking for, the deal does seem to be a compromise on both sides. Congressional Democrats will not see new limits applied to how many immigrants can be detained by the Trump administration as they were originally pushing for. The proposed deal is certainly not set in stone yet. To avoid a government shutdown, the agreement needs to be written into legislation, pass both chambers of Congress, and be approved by Trump himself before Friday night.
Questions now remain on whether or not Trump will accept the compromise with Democrats and approve the deal as is. Trump met with his Cabinet Tuesday morning and expressed initial dissatisfaction with the congressional agreement.
“Am I happy at first glance? I just got to see it. The answer is no, I'm not. I'm not happy,” Trump told reporters, according to CBS News. “But am I happy with where we're going? I'm thrilled. Because we're supplementing things and moving things around, and we're doing things that are fantastic and taking from far less really from far less important areas. And the bottom line is we're building a lot of wall, right now, we're building a lot of wall.”
The President noted that he doesn't think there will be another government shutdown, but if there is, Democrats will be at fault.
As far as the government shutdown goes, Bloomberg reported that the deal as is would provide continued funding for a number of U.S. departments, including Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, Justice, State, Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Food and Drug Administration, and Environmental Protection Agency.
This situation is developing by the minute as both sides continue to weigh in on the proposed deal. AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you updates on the latest.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA - I love this time of year: love is in the air; spring is in the air, and now tomatoes are in the air! Not literally, of course. Jacobs Farm Del Cabo is experiencing record-high yields of organic sugar plum, cherry, rubies on the vine, and mixed tomatoes, which are available now through early spring from the company’s Del Cabo brand.
“We’re seeing great results out of the field with good quality and color,” said Skye Ogden, Director of International Farming. “Everyone is hustling during this busy time and all hands are on deck to ensure the best tasting tomatoes.”
According to a press release, this influx of organic product is being harvested throughout all of the company’s growing areas in Baja and Sonora, Mexico.
“With this surge of promotable volume, we encourage retailers to secure both impulse purchases as well as repeat sales through increased displays, co-merchandised with complimentary products such as organic avocados, mozzarella and balsamic, and in-store signage,” commented Kyla Oberman, Marketing Manager.
In addition to high yields of organic tomatoes, the company is also expecting increased volumes of organic Sugar Snap Peas and Snow Peas.
For the latest in fresh produce happenings, be sure to keep reading AndNowUKnow!
BENTONVILLE, AR - The world’s largest retailer has hit a stumbling block on its quest to surpass Amazon.com in the race to grocery delivery supremacy. Logistics firm Deliv has served Walmart a 90-day termination notice ending their same-day grocery delivery partnership.
The retailer has been amping up its presence in the grocery delivery scene, partnering with third-party delivery services in an attempt to reach consumers in 100 U.S. cities. This comes on the heels of failed partnerships with Uber and Lyft, Reuters noted, and ineffective programs using its own employees to make deliveries.
Deliv was one of Walmart’s earliest delivery partnerships, and had pilot programs in Miami and San Jose. The companies stopped working together in late January, which Walmart's Director, National Media Relations, Molly Blakeman, told Reuters was a mutual decision.
“As with any pilot, the intent is to learn,” said Blakeman. “And we ultimately came to the conclusion with Deliv that while their platform is a good delivery option, it was not the best fit for our program at this time.”
Deliv taps into networks of local freelance drivers to deliver products same-day for a fee, delivering to a wide range of retailers, including Home Depot and Kohl’s, in over 1,400 U.S. cities. In October of 2018, the delivery company raised $40 million in financing from investors including Alphabet Inc’s Google and United Parcel Service. The company signed up 20 new U.S. retailers in December 2018, including Nike and Nordstrom.
There were several issues that arose from the start of the partnership, Reuters noted. For one, order volumes were low in many markets, and orders had to travel long distances for deliveries, resulting in losses for both companies—though this was disputed by Blakeman. While Deliv can process and deliver thousands of orders every hour, the San Jose Walmart would sometimes generate only a hundred orders a week. Some sources reported that Deliv drivers often had to wait upwards of 40 minutes to collect grocery orders, partially because Walmart gives priority to customers over delivery drivers. Store operations were said to be a “huge problem,” and online orders could not be processed fast enough, Reuters reports.
Walmart has reported that it is still partnered with seven delivery firms, including DoorDash and Postmates, with same-day grocery delivery in 800 of its more than 5,000 U.S. stores and retailer clubs, with plans to add 800 more stores this year.
What does the future hold for Walmart and its same-day delivery plans? Keep reading AndNowUKnow for developing news.
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.
Rain in California Continues to Play Havoc on Markets
As the rain in California sees no end in sight, the markets continue their march higher. All commodities that are being grown in the coastal regions of California have seen excessive rain over the past month, leading to decreased supplies and major issues with quality. Strawberries, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, and celery have all seen prices rise again this past week due to the heavy storms over the weekend. And there is more rain to come this week.
Last Friday I spoke with John Krist, CEO of the Ventura County, California Farm Bureau, located in the county of Oxnard. According to John, “the biggest impacts from these rains is damage to ripe strawberries, which turn to mush when they get that wet and can’t be sold for fresh fruit. That damaged fruit ends up getting stripped and sold for juice or jam, which is a money-losing proposition at this time of year, but one that can’t be avoided—if left in the fields that damaged fruit will spread fungus”.
John also stated, “We also had harvest delays in just about everything, including citrus, which can’t be picked when wet. And there’s a heightened risk of fungal disease in vegetables, too, particularly celery”.
Lastly, John told me this: “It’s worth remembering, however, that this is what a normal year used to look like. Our frame of reference has been skewed by nearly 7 years of drought or below-average rainfall. Dealing with these issues is par for the course”.
In fact, this year's rain levels are higher than normal. The historical average combined rainfall for January and February in Oxnard, CA, is approximately 7 inches. Over the last 7 years or so that California has been in a drought cycle, the average combined rainfall for these two months is less than 4 inches. This year 9 inches of rain has already fallen in Oxnard, and we have two more weeks to go.
This next shot coming on Wednesday and Thursday will drop another 1.5 inches of rain and bring the total close to 11 inches. It’s no wonder harvests are being delayed.
You ask about Santa Maria and Salinas? They also will see another 1+ inches of rain this week.
Citrus—Freezing Temperatures in Central California
The National Weather Service issued freeze warnings for yesterday morning and this morning in the San Joaquin Valley as temperatures dropped below freezing for up to 6 hours the last two nights. Some locations, such as Visalia saw temps drop down to 28° Monday morning and 29° this morning. Please check with shippers of citrus to see how they may have been affected.
Rain and Heat Coming to Florida
Rain is coming to all current growing regions in Florida today.
From Plant City all the way south to Homestead, all growing locations can expect approximately .25 inches of rain today. Behind this storm, expect one day of cooler temps on Wednesday. Temperatures will drop by about 10–15° across the board tomorrow. Not to fret because on Thursday temperatures will be back to normal in the low 80°s during the day and the low 60°s at night. There is another opportunity for light rain on Friday and Saturday.
Starting Sunday, Florida will be feeling the effects of a heat wave. Up and down the state expect maximum temps close to 90° and min temperatures in the mid to upper 60°s. These temperatures will last at least through Wednesday of next week. Expect production to heavier as we head into next week.
Bloom Drop and Temperature Swings in Culiacán?
Some people in the industry are stating that the reduction in tomato supplies out of Mexico right now is due to bloom drop caused by the cold temperatures back in the late December. As you know, farmers are always tight lipped when talking about crop issues, so this is something I have not been able to confirm. What is certain is that supplies have tightened a bit and prices have moved off the minimum where they had been for the past several weeks.
Temperatures in Culiacán will get progressively hotter throughout the week, peaking this Friday with a max temperature of 94° and a minimum temperature of 61°. On Saturday, Culiacán will begin a cooling trend, and by Wednesday, February 20, they will see a minimum temperature of 50°. This should slow down production somewhat by the end of next week.
Thank you again for your support, and we will be back on Friday with another update.
MONTEREY, CA - In anticipation of the fourth-annual Organic Produce Summit (OPS), the organization has just announced six educational sessions that will take place at the event. The two-day event is designed to unite organic fresh produce growers, shippers, and processors with retailer and buying organizations from across North America. On July 10-11, over 1,400 attendees will meet to exchange ideas, information, and insight of the organic fresh produce industry.
The first session, set to be moderated by Mark Munger, Vice President Sales and Marketing for 4Earth Farms, is titled The Evolution of Wholesaler/Distributors of Organic Fresh Produce. The session will be focused on the changing role of wholesalers and distributors of organic fresh produce and its impact in providing fresh organic items to consumers worldwide. A panel of leading industry experts will be featured to offer information and insight on the evolution of wholesalers and distributors of organic fresh produce. Panelists include Elizabeth Nardi, CEO of The Organically Grown Company; Greg Kurkjian, Vice President and General Manager of The Crosset Company; and Mark Hill, Sales at Baldor Foods.
“The growing demand for organic fresh produce has led to an evolution of the role wholesalers and distributors across the country play in offering products to consumers,” said Munger. “Wholesalers have expanded their emphasis and focus in keeping up with consumer demand. The session will be an excellent chance for OPS attendees to hear how wholesalers from the West coast, Midwest, and East coast are adapting, expanding, and meeting the growing demands placed on bringing organic produce to retail outlets across the country."
Other educational sessions at OPS 2019 will include:
- Organic Sales Analysis and the Organic Consumer
- Tackling Food Waste—Good for the Planet and the Bottom Line
- International Insights and Trends on Organic Produce
- International Organic Produce Supply
- Organic Ready Meals at Retail
There will additionally be two keynote presentations featuring award-winning chef and author Dan Barber and organic consumer activist Robyn O’Brien, as well as a Retailer Roundtable including three of the nation’s largest and most progressive retailers.
OPS 2019 will also feature a gala opening night reception; a selection of field tours for retailers and buyers; and a trade show spotlighting 149 producers and processors of organic fresh producers from across the globe.
Limited registration is still available, so don’t miss your chance!
STEVENS POINT, WI - There’s only one thing worse than a thief, and that’s a potato thief! While it’s sort of maybe kind of not really understandable why someone would pilfer potatoes—I mean, have you tried one?!—we all know that justice is sweeter than any tasty tuber, and one spud swindler is about to find out just how sweet justice can be. Hopefully his appetite doesn’t only include starchy substances!
According to a report by Fox WZAW, Thomas Lundgren, the former owner of potato brokerage firm Spud City Sales, has been accused of failing to pay farmers and trucking companies across Wisconsin upwards of $700,000 and defrauding one farmer of $100,000.
The news source reports that he has been charged with 16 counts of theft, which he will go to trial for this week.
Will the brokerage bandit meet his match after attempting to steal away with hundreds of thousands of dollars in yams? Only time will tell.
For those of you with appetites whet for justice, keep following AndNowUKnow as we continue to bring you the latest produce plunders.
SALINAS, CA - If it feels like Naturipe Farms was just celebrating a centennial anniversary, it was! And as the company's strategy on how it will take on the next hundred begins to unfold, it is starting off with the debut of a whole new brand.
“We are extremely proud of our company’s history and feel that this brand refresh revitalizes us as we enter our next 100 years,” said Dwight Ferguson, President and CEO. “Growing the freshest berries has always been our priority, and it was time for us to prioritize our brand as well.”
What goes into something as vast as a rebrand, especially within a company that has operations going as far back as more than 100 years? Naturipe Farms Vice President of Marketing, CarrieAnn Arias, said it was definitely not an overnight decision.
“Over the past year, we conducted a combination of quantitative and qualitative market research studies to determine what Millennials and the next generation of berry-buyers wanted from their brands,” CarrieAnn explained. “With these younger customers poised to be the largest consumer group in history, it was important for us to ensure Naturipe Farms’ brand refresh spoke to this demographic.”
The result, CarrieAnn and her team said, is a sleek new look that highlights its long heritage, introducing itself to younger demographics while maintaining a connection with its established customer base.
“It was really important for us to ask our customers directly about all aspects of our brand. We want to talk with—not just to—our customers. We want Naturipe Farms to be relevant to berry-buyers for the next 100 years, and we committed to listening to them,” CarrieAnn shared, detailing that the berry producer executed a 5-phase consumer research study of nearly 4,000 participants in the U.S. and Canada.
“Through the company’s market research, the consumers have spoken, and Naturipe Farms’ investments in innovation and R&D going forward will help ensure the brand evolves with changing customer priorities,” she said. “With these combined efforts, the company intends to make the next hundred years every bit as successful as the previous hundred.”
Naturipe Farms’ new design elements are already rolling out in grocery stores and will continue to do so over the next several months, including new packaging, in-store merchandising, and a new logo that showcases its fresh “Farmed fresh since 1917” tagline.
And there is more already planned in the way of new packaging and beyond. Naturipe Farms said this refresh offers more than a new brand, that it will reinforce focusing on the company’s three core principles; farmers, quality, and heritage. As part of the company’s Cultivate with Care™ initiative, it has committed to conducting business in a way that minimizes environmental impact. Not only is it exploring eco-friendly packaging in hopes of being a leader in sustainability practices, but also researching multiple areas of better practice in its business like water conservation and natural pest management. Read more about the new look and all that comes with it here.
With over a century of growth built by generations of growers, this looks to be an exciting reintroduction—celebrating Naturipe’s past while promoting its future.
OXNARD, CA - Mission Produce recently announced the expansion of its sales department. In order to support its growth, Mission created a business development sector, hired a new Senior Director of Sales, and increased its foodservice division.
“We expanded and restructured our sales team to better serve our customer base,” said Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Ross Wileman, in a recent press release. “Mission Produce added foodservice sales staff and created a business development sector under the supervision of Patrick Cortes. He will continue to build and maintain relationships with our North American customers. We also are proud to announce the return of Stephen Fink as he assumes the role of Senior Director of Sales.”
The press release noted that this will be Fink’s second run at Mission Produce. Fink originally served as a Sales Representative but was promoted to Director of Sales in 2017. For the past year, Fink worked at LGS Specialty Sales as an Avocado Category Manager where he sourced, transported, and sold avocados, in addition to other fruit.
“Mission Produce’s domestic and global network is astounding,” stated Fink. “This opportunity was right for my return. I am fortunate to join Mission Produce as the sales team develops to meet industry needs.”
Fink will be responsible for providing pricing guidance, reviewing forecast numbers, and working closely with national retail accounts.
“All of these changes helped strengthen our sales pipeline. I am excited to watch Mission Produce experience an even greater level of success in response to these strategic organizational changes,” concluded Wileman.
Congratulations from all of us here at AndNowUKnow on this next step in Stephen's career.