SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CA - Providing a fresh spin on salads, Earthbound Farm is debuting three organic blends at this year’s PMA Fresh Summit that are sure to dazzle with flavor, variety, versatility, beauty, texture, and nutrient density. The new blends are Rosé Blend, Mighty Spinach Blend, and Red Baby Butter Blend.
“We love delicious organic food— especially veggies and greens,” said Nathalie Fontanilla, VP Marketing, Research and Innovation. “It is why Earthbound Farm tinkers and explores as we develop new organic products. But, even more important than that, we listen to the people who are buying our products. What do they want? What would make their lives simpler and tastier? It's why we grow and pack organic fresh salads. Earthbound Farm has always done this, starting with originating prewashed, packaged spring mix to introducing baby arugula and baby kale to the category.”
According to a press release, the following are set to take the stage come October 18th:
- Rosé Blend: This blend of red lettuces—lolla rosa, red oak, red tango, red baby butter, radicchio—creates a crisp and tender texture that has a mild bite. To get this mix, the company worked with seed partners over the years to develop multi-leaf varieties to flavor, texture, and efficient harvesting. Similar to a spring mix, the sturdier leaves offer a crunch that holds against many dressings and creates a pretty plate full of various shades of red and green. I mean, what more can I say than this: rosé all day!
- Mighty Spinach Blend: This powerhouse mix of spinach, bok choy, pak choi, tat soi provides a slighty earthy flavor profile that is dense with nutrients that put flavor at the forefront. Get this: it can be used in salads, smoothies, and sautéed or braised dishes. Say what?! I only speak the truth, friends.
- Red Baby Butter Blend: Butter me up with some good butter lettuce. This offering showcases what makes butter lettuce an all-star player in the salad game with a beautiful red blush and a crisp that consumers can enjoy in bite-size leaves.
“We want to make it simple and satisfying for our customers to have a high-quality, well-rounded organic produce program that delivers what their shoppers are seeking—fresh organic produce that goes beyond the ordinary,” said Tim Youmans, VP of Commodities and National Accounts. “No one else is better equipped to provide that one-stop-shop organic solution.”
The company’s expanded line of all-organic commodity vegetables, include new additions Baby Bok Choy and Cabbage, will be on display for attendees to check out at Fresh Summit. It will be showcasing its tried-and-true items, as well: broccoli, cauliflower, and broccolette.
“Getting innovation back on the table is fundamental for us and for our retail partners,” said Earthbound Farm President, Deverl Maserang. “And so is having a robust organic commodity program. It’s all an important part of our heritage and our connection to the consumers that have nurtured us through the years.”
The new blends are available in 5-ounce clamshells and have a suggested retail price of $3.99.
Which one are you most excited to try?!
FLORIDA - After only one day, Hurricane Michael is now close to a catastrophic, unprecedented Category 4 hurricane. It is expected to strike on the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend, with a life-threatening storm surge and over 100 mph winds possible near the coast and inland.
If Michael makes landfall as a Category 4 storm, as expected, it will be the strongest hurricane to ever come ashore along the Florida Panhandle in records dating to 1851, according to Dr. Phil Klotzbach, Tropical Scientist at Colorado State University. In fact, Florida's entire Gulf Coast north of Punta Gorda has never recorded a Category 4-plus hurricane landfall, reported Weather.com.
Weather.com went on to note that landfall will most likely occur along the Florida Panhandle this afternoon. After landfall, Michael will then accelerate inland across the southeastern United States Wednesday night through Thursday night, bringing gusty winds and heavy rain. Michael could also enhance rainfall in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern New England Thursday night through Friday.
As we covered yesterday, mandatory evacuations are still in effect throughout much of the region.
For the latest in Hurricane Michael updates, please stick with AndNowUKnow.
NEW JERSEY - This fall, the Garden State is blossoming with more than just its namesake. Lidl is upping the bounties of its store locations in New Jersey, announcing it will be opening three new stores over the course of October and November.
On October 31, Lidl is opening up shop in Eatontown, NJ at 136 Route 35. Then, in November, Lidl is cutting the ribbon on not one, but two new stores in Union (2375 Route 22) and Hazlet (2937 Route 35) on November 14 and November 28, respectively.
The new store openings could put the retailer back on track to meet its goal of opening 100 new U.S. locations in 2018. Many speculated about whether or not Lidl would meet that goal after the grocer halted its expansion efforts in Alabama earlier this year.
As Lidl continues its expansion efforts in familiar territory—the East Coast—will the retailer stay on track and meet its network goal? AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the latest retail moves.
REIDSVILLE, GA - All eyes are on the RealSweet® Peruvian sweet onion bags by Shuman Produce as we head into PMA Fresh Summit, as it dons a new look for the holiday season in collaboration with a Feeding America call to action. The notation holds prime real estate on the consumer bags in grocery stores. The initiative’s goal is to provide 50,000 meals to families in need—‘tis the season, folks! To do that, Shuman Produce is bringing in celebrity chef Shannen Tune, Food Network’s Chopped champion and Founder of Craft Burger, to the Fresh Summit booth. There, Tune will be dishing up a Big Green Egg ceramic kamado-style grill to Fresh Summit-goers.
“We stand strong behind our four pillars in everything we do: providing superior quality, excellent customer service, innovative marketing, and giving back to the communities where our products are sold,” said President John Shuman. “The holidays are a great time to make an extra effort to help those in need and give back to these communities.”
The company is celebrating these cause-driven bags with marketing and social media support alongside Produce for Kids, the cause marketing organization John Shuman helped create in 2002. Produce for Kids raised $6.7 million with cause-marketing campaigns, including 10 million meals it provided for Feeding America, according to a press release. With this latest effort, the holiday initiative will increase this assistance.
Check out Shuman’s booth at #1201 to see the new look on the bags and to sample the Peruvian sweet onion that has inspired Chef Tune’s recipes at Fresh Summit.
“We are looking forward to having chef Tune onsite with our team to showcase new ways to incorporate sweet onions to meals,” continued Shuman. “Demand for sweet onions continues to grow because of their versatility. Peruvian sweet onions are the premium sweet onion during the fall and winter months."
PMA Fresh Summit takes place from October 18-19 in Orlando, Florida, so don’t miss out on this exciting debut, among others!
TECOMAN, COLIMA, MX - Coliman, proud Mexican family business and one of the world’s foremost organic banana providers, is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year, and looking back on its legacy of nourishing people, customers, and the earth. Established in Tecoman, Colima, Mexico, in 1963, Coliman provides one of the largest supplies of Fairtrade certified organic bananas in Latin America. But, beyond that, the company is so much more.
“For Coliman, it’s the people that matter most: our family, our friends, our workers, our customers, and the environments in which they all live,” said Jorge Aguilar Jr., Coliman’s Corporate CEO. “Our success is their success. Our dedication and certification on organic, Fairtrade, and Rainforest products validate the history of our actions and help us establish long-term sustainable structures for us to expand on not only at home, but globally as well.”
Coliman exports many products to North America, including organic and conventional bananas, Hass avocados, papayas, and products such as jicama tortillas through its emerging fresh cut division. But at the core of all its programs, Coliman focuses on supply chain control, robust quality assurances, advanced food safety systems, cutting-edge heath standards, and worker and community success stories.
“Owning the supply chain is essential to successful, sustainable, long-term fruit and vegetable programs for the benefit of not only the end consumer but also our valued customers and employees,” added Aguilar.
Here are just a few accomplishments Coliman has achieved over its 55-year tenure in the produce industry:
- Total proprietary supply chain covers 1,300+ hectares of Organic, Fairtrade, and Rainforest Alliance certified bananas
- Four organic and three conventional banana farms in Tecoman, Colima, and Tapachula, Chiapas
- One of Mexico’s most essential Hass avocado exporters
- Avocado farms and operations in Michoacán and Jalisco
- Represents an important percentage for all Mexican papaya exports (Maradol and Tainung varietals)
- A state-of-the-art Coliman Fresh Cut processing facility, was born from Coliman’s The Fresh Cut plant is one of the most advanced in the region, fully certified by HACCP and Primus GFS
- The fresh cut plant services North America with a gamut of fresh cut, no preservative, and all natural fruits and vegetable products
- One of the most popular products, jicama tortillas, adhere to Whole30, keto, low carb, gluten-free, raw food, and Paleo diets
Coliman will also be exhibiting at this year's PMA Fresh Summit in Orlando, Florida, on October 19-20. Attendees can visit the company at booth number 2813. Stop by and say hello!
Congratulations to all at Coliman on this major landmark, and here is to 55 more years in the business!
MCALLEN, TX - Here at Fox Packaging™, we think green so that our industry can stay clean! Over the years, we have implemented a variety of initiatives in our manufacturing processes and packaging solutions to showcase a commitment to sustainability. Our latest effort included upgrading our Stand-Up Combo® bag to make it compatible with existing polyethylene recycle streams.
Here’s What’s in Store.
The film side of our new and improved poly/mesh Stand-Up Combo bag is now made from a high-performing recyclable film that improves the bag’s performance and visual appeal. The film eliminates the waste that the formerly laminated and non-recyclable materials generated, without diminished clarity or physical properties.
Our patented bag is also sure to help our customers’ branding stand out on store shelves. Featuring a functional, flat bottom perfect for upright display and a convenient zip closure, the Stand-Up Combo bag is available in 12 colors of nonabrasive mesh, produced thanks to our state-of-the-art flexo print process, and ranges in sizes from 1 to 5 pounds.
Thank you for watching, What’s in Store!
ST. LOUIS, MO - After acquiring 20 Shop ‘n Save locations earlier this year, Schnucks Markets announced opening dates and regular operating hours for nine of the St. Louis-based supermarkets. Each store will be closed for two and a half days to switch out point-of-sale systems, rebrand signage, and restock merchandise before reopening as Schnucks.
“We know that customers want to quickly return to their neighborhood store to shop for their families, so our teams will be working around the clock to transition these stores in a period of just 63 hours each, and we’ll focus on more extensive upgrades in the coming months,” said Schnucks President and COO Dave Peacock. “While the transition will take place quickly, we want customers to know that on day one they can expect to see fully-stocked shelves, and friendly, familiar faces, since many Shop ‘n Save employees at the acquired stores have accepted offers to join the Schnucks team.”
According to a press release, store opening dates and times include the following:
Wednesday, October 10 at 9 a.m.:
- 7909 Highway N, Dardenne Prairie, Mo. 63368 (6 a.m. - midnight)
- 9070 St. Charles Rock Road, St. John, Mo. 63114 (24 hours)
- 7057 Chippewa, Shrewsbury, Mo. 63119 (6 a.m. - midnight)
Friday, October 12 at 9 a.m.:
- 100 Jungermann Road, St. Peters, Mo. 63376 (5 a.m. - 1 a.m.)
- 2183 Charbonier Road, Florissant, Mo. 63031 (6 a.m. - midnight)
- 45 Gravois Bluffs Plaza Drive, Fenton, Mo. 63026 (6 a.m. - midnight)
Sunday, October 14 at 9 a.m.:
- 60 Harvester Square, St. Charles, MO 63303 (6 a.m. - midnight)
- 10634 St. Charles Rock Road, St. Ann, Mo. 63074 (24 hours)
- 1253 Water Tower Plaza, Arnold, Mo. 63010 (6 a.m. - 11 p.m.)
Opening dates for the remaining 11 acquired locations will be announced in the near future, and more extensive remodeling is slated as well for all 20 acquired locations.
MURRIETA, CA - West Pak Avocado is adding new retail marketing solutions to its bag of tricks. As the global supplier of premium avocados gears up for the PMA Fresh Summit Convention and Expo, it’s introducing a new branded bag program designed to empower retailers while optimizing the excitement of avocados geographically, seasonally, demographically, and by use.
“We’ve got all sorts of innovation up our sleeves, which we’re excited to share,” noted Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Doug Meyer, in a press release. “We’d like to extend an invitation for everybody to stop by at PMA to say hello, meet our team, check out our new retail bags, have a conversation about organics, and even discover our Avo-Opportunities marketing program just for retailers.”
In that press release, West Pak Avocado noted that it will officially launch new brands “Lil' 'Cados” and “Viva Avocados” at Fresh Summit. The new brands will make their debut on October 18, 2018, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
Lil' 'Cados on-the-go, single serving, small avocado brand addresses user convenience and seeks to minimize food waste. Viva Avocados, on the other hand, are a broad-reaching, party-themed, and year-round offering that celebrates the heritage and rich culture of the avocado.
“I love our new packaging and the bagged avocado options,” said Susie Rea, Sales and Business Development. “It’s something very different on the retail shelves. Up until now, it's been a lot of loose bulk avocados that the retailer puts out or a generic green mesh bag. Having recipes and quick health tips on the back of our packaging, even the Heart-Check designation, is what people really want to see, especially when the branding appeals to them.”
The company will also debut organic versions of both Lil' 'Cados and West Pak’s flagship brand I Love Avocados. California Gold, a premium brand available in conventional and organic, will soon follow when the region’s season officially kicks off in early 2019.
“Our branded bags are also less pressure on the retailers, as they kind of sell themselves. Anytime we can provide a product that has marketing information on it, that’s just less work for them. In fact, the more that we have to bring to the table, the better. When all we do is supply raw products, then the retailers have to come up with a lot more to push the product out,” added Rea. “Avocados are such a growing category for retailers that it's no longer just their Cinco de Mayo or Super Bowl ad push. They are promoting avocados all year round now. That's something very new for them—in a good way. Our many branded bag offerings help fill their needs, and their shelves, all year long.”
Stop by booth #3653 at PMA Fresh Summit to learn more about West Pak Avocado’s latest lines and popular offerings.
SAN DIEGO, CA - As attendees flock to Orlando, Florida, for this year’s PMA Fresh Summit Convention and Expo, which takes place October 18-20 at the Orange County Convention Center, they are walking into a forcefield of jaw-dropping products and innovations to behold. One of the booths not to be missed is Organics Unlimited, which will sit at booth number 4131, and, there, participants can tap President and CEO Mayra Velazquez de León for the inside scopp on the company’s developments and the industry’s emerging trends.
Organics Unlimited is proudly showcasing its certified organic produce, its eco-friendly growing practices and sustainability, and its GROW by Organics Unlimited social responsibility program that comes as a result of banana purchases.
“We are thrilled to be exhibiting again at PMA Fresh Summit to share our vision of sustainability, responsibility, and eco-friendly growing practices as well as exciting new developments within our company,” said Velazquez de León. “Our booth visitors will enjoy fun giveaway items like toy monkeys, banana-shaped note pads, recipe cards, and bookmarks, among other things.”
The company’s land expansion program started in 2015 with 1,087 acres of farmland in Colima, Mexico. The company is heading into its final stages of land expansion with 1,865 acres by the end of this year, as it continues to increase production to meet growing demands.
Organics Unlimited’s harvesting method and sustainable farming practices allow the company to tend to the latest trends in the produce industry, all while using eco-friendly packaging.
The company’s certified organic bananas, organic plantains, and organic coconuts are grown in Colima and Michoacán, Mexico, as well as Ecuador. It uses sustainable practices throughout its growing, harvesting, packing, and shipping operations, as it protects the health of its workers and the environment, according to a press release. In addition to its own growing practices, the company supports small growers on farms that are nearby with organic farming techniques that provide healthy, safe, and consistent tropical produce for the marketplace.
For more fresh produce news as we near PMA Fresh Summit 2018, stick with AndNowUKnow.
CHARLOTTE, NC - A new 21,000-square-foot grocery store is headed to South Charlotte this month—a store that marks a return to The Fresh Market’s roots as a fresh-food focused specialty shop as well as a pivot away from the “best of both worlds” strategy that saw the small-format chain add household staples and center store offerings to its assortment.
The new store’s opening took place Thursday, October 4th, 2018. The Fresh Market celebrated the occasion with a ceremonial bread-breaking involving a 12-foot French baguette, free samples, live music, and the cracking of a 95-pound cheese wheel, according to the Charlotte Business Journal.
“What we’re doing in this store, and in all of our stores, is getting back to our roots as a European market and as a specialty market,” CEO Larry Appel told the Charlotte Observer. “Our store’s not a grocery store; it’s a treasure hunt.”
In the Observer’s report, Appel recounts the story of meeting a former Fresh Market shopper, only to learn that the company’s strategic shift toward traditional grocery had alienated the customer.
“He said, ‘When you decided you were going to be an ordinary grocery store, I decided I could shop at an ordinary grocery store,’” Appel remembered. “We had given (customers) a generation of thinking of us as a specialty retailer where you could find unique products. We tried to have the best of both worlds. And I think where the value proposition is in getting back to our roots.”
Rather than focus on everyday staples, the Observer noted, The Fresh Market’s latest location is intended to be a retail destination where shoppers can discover international foods, domestic and imported cheeses, gourmet charcuterie, fresh prepared foods, and an ample assortment of produce.
The Fresh Market’s new store replaces a 15,000-square-foot The Fresh Market location that was previously housed in the same development—the grocery chain’s first Charlotte location, which opened 27 years ago.
Will a return to it roots as a fresh-food focused retailer pay dividends? AndNowUKnow will continue to report on this and other important stories in fresh food.