AUSTIN, TX and SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Though breaking up is hard to do, it is sometimes necessary for the benefit of both parties. In a recent announcement, Instacart revealed its plan to break from its partnership with Whole Foods, a partnership which had been in place since 2014.
Instacart founder and Chief Executive Officer Apoorva Mehta uploaded a blog post late this week outlining the split.
“The first phase of this transition starts today, which means that we have to start scaling back our in-store shopper operations within Whole Foods locations. Today, we have 1,415 in-store shoppers across 76 Whole Foods locations,” wrote Mehta. “Out of this community of in-store shoppers at Whole Foods, 243 will be impacted beginning February 10, 2019. In the months that follow, we expect to ramp down all remaining Whole Foods in-store shopping operations in preparation for Whole Foods to fully exit our marketplace in the coming months.”
Instacart will offer transfer bonuses to the more than 75 percent of in-store Whole Foods shoppers as they transition to new stores. For the unfortunate few laid off, Instacart will provide a minimum of 3-months separation package based on maximum monthly pay from 2018.
Whole Foods is expected to leave the Instacart market entirely by mid-2019, though those in-store shoppers working across multiple retail partners will be minimally affected. This split comes roughly a year after Amazon acquired Whole Foods in 2017. With Amazon bringing with them Amazon Fresh, their own grocery delivery service, it was bad news for Instacart from the beginning.
The future of Instacart may not be all doom and gloom, however, as TechCrunch reports that at a valuation in October the company raised $600 million at a $7.6 billion valuation. This comes only six months after bringing in a $150 million round and eight months after a $200 million financing valuing the business at $4.2 billion.
To stay updated on further developments, check back in with AndNowUKnow.
OXNARD, CA - We all have our beloved holiday dishes—ones we can’t imagine going without at our respective holiday feasts, but this year, collard greens fans are in for a rough season. Over the past year, major weather events affected growers across the country, including San Miguel Produce, Inc., resulting in a nationwide scarcity of the cherished greens.
“This is only the second time in two decades we have seen a major national shortage like this. Most times shortages are regional and there are options to work with colleagues around the country to help fill gaps,” said Jan Berk, Owner and COO. “Unfortunately, we have called other growers the past few weeks hoping someone might have extra or recovered sooner than expected…only to hear they are short too and looking to source collards.”
During this busy season, retailers are encouraged to educate consumers about the possible shortage of collard greens in stores and about the various alternative dark leafy greens varieties such as kale, chard, mustard greens, and turnip greens.
Across the country, regions faced different, detrimental conditions, all of which resulted in reduced crop yields, according to the press release. The Southeast, including South Carolina and some of Georgia suffered persistent rain and little sun due to Hurricane Florence. The West endured strong Santa Ana winds and wildfires, leading to lower yields due to the winds scarring and taring leaves. Significant rains in Texas has also reduced crop yields in the region.
To meet the Thanksgiving holiday demands, growers were forced to enter fields earlier than usual to harvest due to these weather challenges. Now, to meet the Christmas demand, growers have been pushing crops with additional fertilizer to enhance growth. Many growers have invested in plantings/crops for several months to prepare for harvest in this, the peak season for dark leafy greens.
Despite these mitigating efforts, weather conditions remain unfavorable nationwide, even as the seasonal rush begins, sparking concern about availability to meet demand.
For more information on produce shortages that may affect your holiday recipes, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
BAKERSFIELD, CA - Sun World International celebrates success with growth in export volume due to strong brand presence overseas and strengthened partnerships is receivers.
“Despite a difficult grape season, we continue to achieve our strategic export goals,” Vice President of International Sales and Marketing Julie Escobar said in a recent press release. “Our partnerships with receivers and new customers have helped us achieve record shipping numbers, and retail penetration continues to be strengthened.”
The company has grown their export volume by 40% year over year for the last three years, and strengthened receiver partnerships have guaranteed product movement in record volumes. In turn, the receivers have supported the company brand, and Sun World to strengthen their brand execution in Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Korea. Efforts in brand strengthening overseas has provided stronger consumer recognition of Sun World grapes through both below-the-line marketing in the form of store events, demos and sampling, and social media.
Investment in new packing line infrastructure has allowed the company to provide innovative packaging models that drive sales in its Asian markets. Additionally, these packing innovations help to offset the high labor costs associated with re-packing product in-country. Due to the increase of business, the company will soon be hiring new personnel in Asia to oversee the growth of the Sun World brand and sales abroad.
Escobar is excited to see where company growth and fruit quality will go in the new year, stating “We expect to see a significant increase in our business, as well as improve[ment to] our overall supply chain and quality control of our fruit to a much stronger level in 2019.”
Sun World’s proprietary black Midnight Beauty® and green Autumncrisp® brand grapes continue to be the most well-received varieties overseas. Autumncrisp brand grapes specifically achieved phenomenal success in the majority of Asian markets this year. The company will also continue its efforts to introduce black Adora Seedless® brand grapes as a late season black variety in 2019.
Looks like there are plenty of good harvests ahead for Sun World in the new year! AndNowUKnow will continue to provide coverage, and looks forward to seeing where the new year takes our industry.
CARLISLE, PA - Giant Food Stores has made headlines over the course of the past several months—after growing through the acquisition of erstwhile SuperValu-owned Shop ’n Save stores in October. And this month, the banner is once again turning heads; this week, Giant Food Stores announced the promotion of Sepideh Burkett to Vice President, Store Support.
“A knowledgeable and passionate leader, Sepideh has made significant contributions to the success of our company, and we look forward to benefitting from her deep knowledge in her new role,” said John Ponnett, Senior Vice President of Retail Operations, in a press release. “Her team and customers always come first, and she truly leads by example with her ‘can do attitude,’ inspiring those around her.”
In this new role, Burkett will be responsible for bringing the company’s strategic plans and customer-centric strategy to fruition, driving store performance, and ensuring consistent communication between stores and support functions. She will report directly to Ponnett.
Burkett brings approximately 25 years of experience in the supermarket and drugstore business to her new role. Burkett first joined Giant in 2016 as Director of Special Projects and, most recently, served as District Director overseeing Giant stores in north-central Pennsylvania.
Priorly, Burkett held several leadership roles with Walmart including Market Manager, Regional Health and Wellness Director, Market Health and Wellness Director and Pharmacy Manager.
Additionally, Burkett is a licensed pharmacist. She received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from University of Connecticut and resides in State College, PA, with her family.
We at AndNowUKnow congratulate Sepideh on her new role.
BOISE, ID - Spuds are singing their potato praises today, as the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) announced industry veteran Alan Kahn as its new Vice President of Foodservice.
With over 25 years of experience in foodservice, including time with Ore-Ida Foods, McCain Foods USA, and J.R. Simplot Company in sales and marketing roles surrounding potatoes, Kahn is certainly ready to take on his new role.
His resume also boasts the Director of Sales position at Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, Vice President of Marketing at Clear Spring Foods, and most recently Bureau Chief of Communications & Marketing for the Department of Fish and Game.
As IPC President & CEO Frank Muir explained in a recent press release, “Alan’s impressive experience in the food industry, years spent working at three of Idaho’s biggest frozen French fry manufacturers, and deep knowledge of Idaho make him the ideal person to run the foodservice division at the Idaho Potato Commission.”
Muir continues, “As more and more consumers are seeking healthy out-of-home dining options, getting Idaho® potatoes—fresh, frozen, and dehydrated— on the menu is becoming increasingly more important. I’m confident that Alan’s knowledge and expertise can help us lift foodservice to the next level.”
In his new role with the IPC, Kahn will:
- Supervise three Promotions Directors who are calling on foodservice distributors, produce houses, and terminal markets
- Develop foodservice promotions
- Launch incentive contests for operators
- Create training programs, videos, and educational materials
- Coordinate the commission’s presence at food/restaurant shows
- Work with restaurant chain operators on new menu ideas
AndNowUKnow congratulates Alan Kahn on his new position, and looks forward to seeing the growth his efforts will provide to the Idaho Potato Commission in the coming year. For more of the latest industry news, keep reading us here at ANUK.
YAKIMA, WA - Organic fruit is an expanding category—that much is clear—and apple providers looking to stay ahead of the curve are increasingly turning to organic growing to drive sales and seek out emerging consumer trends.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Matt Miles, Organic Program Coordinator, and Frank Davis with Washington Fruit & Produce Co. to find out how Washington Fruit is rising to the challenge and meeting customers where they live with organic offerings of some of the apple category’s most on-trend and in-demand varieties.
“We started our transition to organic in 2014. We went through and analyzed the broad spectrum of our different ranches and chose our highest yielding blocks with some of the best coloring varieties for the organic transition,” said Matt. “Our first certified Organic production was in 2017. Our varieties were designed around our customer’s needs. Basically, we went in with organic Gala, organic Fuji, organic Granny Smith, and organic Honeycrisp, and we also have other varieties that we are transitioning into organic production.”
As a forward-thinking company with roughly 15 percent of its total acreage in organic production, Washington Fruit has been riding the crest of a rising tide for the past two years.
“In the past few years, we’ve put a real focus on putting together a team of experts in the organic category. We’ve put together an entire organic department,” Frank noted. “That’s how committed we are to this program. We’ve hired top notch people in the organics category to carry us forward.”
Matt and Frank tell me that the company is working toward year-round availability across its organic varieties—and shows no signs of slowing down in the near future.
“There was a need, within our company, to supply organics as part of our basket, and we did not want to just step into it partially. We wanted to make sure everything we do is top notch. If we’re going to do it, we do it right, and we do it right the first time,” explained Matt. “It’s important to note, too, that as demand for organic apples continues to increase, we have the capacity to increase production along with it. We want to make sure we’re in scope with what we’re doing and not out of balance, and being 90 percent vertically integrated allows us the flexibility to adjust with our customers’ needs.”
To that end, Washington Fruit has built a number of dynamic controlled atmosphere rooms, Matt tells me, designed to extend the company’s organic apple season and provide high-quality fresh fruit to its customers. Combined with the company’s state-of-the-art optical packing lines, Washington Fruit is able to provide the freshest, most consistent eating experience possible to end consumers.
And the company isn’t stopping with organic apples. Alongside its partner Underwood Fruit—grower of 100 percent of Washington Fruit Company’s organic pears—the company is embarking on a major expansion in its pear operations.
“Our partner, Underwood Fruit, is building a pear facility in Bingen, Washington, that is absolutely the best in the world—with operational efficiencies all the way through the organization that will really help us deliver excellent pears,” added Frank. “Our ability to do ripening and preconditioning in that facility will really help our customers and end-consumers.”
With a focus on Bartlett, d’Anjou, and Bosc varieties, Washington Fruit and Underwood Fruit will continue to expand their organic pear program. And, Matt and Frank tell me, the company is continuing to evaluate its organics program, working with customers to meet burgeoning need as the category grows.
HOUSTON, TX - Since joining the fresh produce industry, the only thing more synonymous with Houston, Texas, than grocery retailer H-E-B is Beyoncé, and that’s simply because I’ve been a part of the Beyhive longer than I’ve been a part of the grocery-hive—fandom name up for debate. This week, H-E-B further solidified its standing in the Houston market after its subsidiary Joe V’s Smart Shop opened its ninth store in the retailer’s home turf.
“For the past eight years, Joe V’s Smart Shop has provided families the opportunity to make healthy food choices at affordable prices—consistently 15-20 percent lower than the competition,” said Roxanne Orsak, Joe V’s Smart Shop’s President of Formats. “We are thrilled to join the Pasadena community with the opening of our ninth Houston-area location.”
According to a press release, Joe V’s Smart Shop has offered the Greater Houston community low prices on grocery goods like fresh produce, fresh-cut meats, baked goods, organic selections, and more since 2010. In fact, the first location was met with nothing short of success, paving the way for the grocery retailer to reach new heights with its latest store.
Similar to the other store locations, Pasadena’s Joe V’s Smart Shop offers fresh produce, organic selections, quality meats and seafood, H-E-B and Central Market brands, and a bakery committed to providing the top 20 items purchased by most customers in the area. The new 61,000-square-foot location is set to employ a 150-strong cross-functional team, which store leader and Pasadena resident, Onofre Rodriguez, hired from within a five-mile radius of the store.
“We value my community and look forward to not only providing a value-driven shopping experience, but also creating jobs for our neighbors,” Rodriguez said.
To keep up with the ever-expanding retail network, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
WASHINGTON, DC - Early this week, after months of debate, the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committees released its Farm Bill conference report, paving the way for Congressional approval of the bill and subsequent signing by President Donald Trump. Voices from the industry were optimistic that the bill—and the bipartisan compromise that moved it forward—would ensure swift approval from Congress and the President.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate approved the bill in a 87-to-13 vote, and this Wednesday, the bill leaped one more hurdle, passing the U.S. House of Representatives in a 386-47 vote, clearing Congress and moving to its final hurdle.
“I am very happy to see my colleagues pass the 2018 Farm Bill. As I said in my floor speech, rural America is facing so many challenges and this bill goes a long way toward providing needed certainty to farmers and ranchers,” said House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson in a statement. “In particular, I am proud of the improvement it makes for our dairy farmers. The bill will provide expanded, affordable coverage options, and more flexibility for dairy farmers. It also provides permanent mandatory funding for several of the programs that first got mandatory funding in the 2008 Farm Bill, when I was Chairman. These include the Local Food & Farmers Market Promotion Program, Value-Added Producer Grants, the BFRDP Program, Organic Research, and the Section 2501 Outreach Program. I encourage President Trump to sign the Farm Bill into law quickly.”
Voices from the industry were likewise positive in their support of the bill and their express desire for quick passage into law.
“United Fresh applauds the House and Senate for the passage of a Farm Bill that includes the priorities of United Fresh and our members,” said Robert Guenther, Senior Vice President of Public Policy for United Fresh. “We thank Congress for approving this legislation and we are proud that it has strong bipartisan and bicameral support. The Agriculture Improvement Act is vital to the ability of the fresh produce industry to ensure Americans have access to nutritious foods. We look forward to the President signing the bill before the conclusion of the 115th Congress.”
PMA likewise expressed its approval for the provisions in the bill.
“After many months of work, and through coordination with the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, PMA is pleased to see the House and Senate approve this bill and looks forward to it moving quickly to The President for signature,” the Association noted in a statement. “We are particularly pleased to see important provisions for the fresh produce and floral industry in the following areas...”
Areas highlighted by PMA included:
- Funding for research on critical issues for specialty crops, including produce and floral.
- Continued funding for critical export promotion and trade facilitation programs.
- Expanded nutrition programs providing fruits and vegetables to children and vulnerable populations.
- Policy recognizing the importance of fruits and vegetables in preventing and combating chronic disease.
- Ensuring USDA has necessary resources to combat pests and diseases, which threaten specialty crop production and exports.
- Maintaining funding to states for specialty crop block grants.
For more as the Farm Bill heads to the White House, AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
PHOENIX, AZ - It’s time to get to work! Or, at least, it is for Sprouts Farmers Markets. The health conscious grocer is adding thousands of new staff members across the nation, as part of its dedication to its mission of making healthy living affordable. At over 300 stores in 19 different states, non-seasonal, full- and part-time positions are available. Job hunters will be able to attend open interviews on Dec. 18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“The knowledgeable service our more than 28,000 team members offer millions of guests each week continues to drive our growth across the country,” said Dan Sanders, Chief Operations Officer. “You don’t have to be a healthy living expert to apply because we focus on team member training and product education to make sure every team member has the opportunity to learn about healthy living and grow their career in natural foods.”
In 2018 the company popped up on Fortune’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies and it was no fluke, as Sprouts provides its employees with competitive pay, opportunities for growth, a fun, rewarding work culture, and, or course, discounts. This past year the company created 4,300 new jobs, promoted 23 percent of its team members, and offered up $10 million in store discounts, according to the press release.
Departments throughout Sprouts stores have available openings, including specialized departments like The Butcher Shop and Fish Market, Market Corner Deli, and even store management. Inquiring candidates can learn more during the one-on-one interviews at local hiring events. Sorry to disappoint the young ones, but candidates must be at least 16 years old.
Interested parties can visit sprouts.com/careers to learn more.
AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you updated on hiring events of this kind.
COLOMBIA - Millennials’ favorite fruit is apparently popular with more than just those born between 1981 and 1996, proving to be a crowd pleaser among drug traffickers as well. This week, authorities thwarted 1,188 kilos of cocaine, hidden in a shipment of Colombian avocados, from getting past the Dutch port of Rotterdam.
According to a report by El Tiempo, the Colombian Anti-Narcotics Police alerted local authorities in Belgium that the shipment from Antioquia wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be. Authorities from both Colombia and Belgium then tracked the nefarious shipment through various ports before they were finally able to chase it down and seize it in a warehouse on the outskirts of Rotterdam.
Eight suspects have been arrested, but Colombian authorities have not locked down a specific group as the masterminds behind this case of bad ‘cados.
To stay in the loop on the latest dealings with criminal fresh produce, keep following AndNowUKnow.