ORANGE COUNTY, CA - Keeping the momentum going off the steam of winning PMA Fresh Summit’s “Best of Show” last year, Zespri is once again bringing the heat to the major produce industry convention. In Orlando at booth number 1000, attendees can sip a kiwirita while discussing retail opportunities, hop on the returning fan-favorite blender bike to blend their own smoothie, and even play life-size games of Jenga or Connect Four to win prizes associated with Zespri’s growth in the market.
“This is our third year exhibiting at PMA,” explains Sarah Deaton, Marketing Manager for North America. “We want to keep the excitement and momentum going with our fun booth atmosphere and winning spirit captured during last year’s 5K race when Zespri received the Best Team Spirit award and our Best of Show exhibitor award. It represents us as a brand and ties into the consumer campaign by bringing the Zespri brand to life and driving traffic at retail. We are driving retailers to our booth and building customized programs exclusively for their business.”
Zespri is also co-sponsoring the Welcoming Reception and 5K run. Race participants can stop by the Zespri booth to sample SunGold Kiwifruit and get a boost of potassium on par with a banana.
Fun and games aside, both Zespri’s regional market development managers and international staff will also be in tow, showcasing Zespri’s SunGold Kiwifruit, its 1 lb clam packs, as well as its green and organic varieties. And with its strong product packaging, the company continues to reinforce its branding through clean, simple imagery and messaging that highlights freshness and taste consistently throughout its sizing options.
“Our 1 lb clam pack has proven to be a leader in sales,” explains Deaton. “Busy moms are looking for a convenient pack size and the 1 lb pack is ideal.” According to a press release, Golden Kiwifruit dollar sales trend outpaced total fruit by +116 points in the last 52-weeks ending 8/12/2018 overall.
Join in on the fun with Zespri at booth #1000!
LOS ANGELES, CA - We all know that Meatless Mondays are here to stay, and Del Taco is getting in on the plant-based action. Partnering with popular meatless meats brand Beyond Meat, the restaurant will be offering vegan options at two of its Los Angeles locations.
"Del Taco is always looking for ways to further delivery quality food, served fast, that our guests love," said John Cappasola, CEO and President of Del Taco, in an emailed statement to Forbes. "We take a guest-driven approach to innovation, ensuring products exceed their expectations. We're excited to test the Beyond Taco and Beyond Avocado Taco and hear consumer feedback."
Customers will now have the choice of ordering Beyond Meat vegan meat crumbles in a regular taco, an avocado taco, or by swapping out protein for the meat substitute in any of Del Taco's menu items for an additional charge. The partnership marks the first time a Mexican fast food restaurant in the U.S. has offered a plant-based meat substitute on their menu, the news source reported.
In a blog post, Beyond Meat expressed its excitement for the partnership.
“At Beyond Meat we believe we are in the business of helping you Eat What You Love while enjoying the health, environmental, and animal welfare benefits of plant-based foods. Our partnership with Del Taco reflects this belief in action,” expressed Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown. “For my kids and their friends, Del Taco is a routine stop after games or practice. I’m thrilled that they can now, along with all other Del Taco customers, enjoy delicious Beyond Tacos and other entrees built with our delicious, sustainable, plant-based meat. I’m grateful to Del Taco leadership and team for their willingness to innovate with speed and vision.”
Who will be the next fast food chain to incorporate plant-based meats? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Growth in the potato segment is all about value-added, and ahead of the upcoming tailgate season, Fresh Solutions Network, the creators of Side Delights® potatoes, will be introducing two more flavorful options to make sport snacking even easier. Launching at PMA Fresh Summit in Orlando, FL, Side Delights will introduce two new seasoning blends under the Flavorables® line; Salt & Pepper with Parsley and Smokey BBQ.
“Flavorables provide convenience shoppers with a fast, on-trend way to serve fresh potatoes via packaging that attracts their attention on the shelf and increases store sales,” commented Kathleen Triou, President & CEO. “Consumers crave tasty, fast, and easy ways to prepare fresh potatoes, and we are confident that these bold, popular new flavors will win them over—and will pair perfectly with their favorite grilling proteins of tailgating season.”
These two new seasoning blends are available in a one-pound microwaveable, recyclable trays and will expand the line’s current offerings of Chimichurri Seasoning (roasted garlic, cilantro, and lemon) and Smokin’ Tomato (roasted tomatoes, garlic and chives). According to a press release, Salt & Pepper with Parsley and Smokey BBQ were inspired by some of the most popular flavors for another favorite tailgating accompaniment: potato chips.
Side Delights will have its new products ready to check out up close and personal at PMA Fresh Summit booth #2933. Be sure to grab your foam finger and join in on the tailgate party.
ORLANDO, FL - Marketing maven Wendy McManus is taking a new tack; after 17 years in fresh produce marketing, McManus is shifting into a coaching position, working to facilitate PMA’s Volunteer Leadership seminar, and helping those in the industry take a fresh look at their potential.
“For me, the best part about this work is seeing my clients reach their highest goals and celebrating that success,” said McManus, in a press release, noting that she is elated to have the opportunity to share actionable tips and help volunteer leaders be more effective in their work.
As a speaker and facilitator, the Produce Marketing Association has tapped McManus to lead its Volunteer Leadership session in conjunction with Fresh Summit. The session is designed to help energize the volunteer chairs, vice-chairs, and staff liaisons of PMA committees for the work they will be tackling in the year ahead.
According to Connect 2 Potential's press release, after working with a coach to develop and amplify her capabilities, McManus decided that coaching was her calling. Her enthusiasm for coaching, and the potential it can bring to one’s career, led her to launch the Lean In To Leadership program.
“It’s a great privilege to serve the produce industry in this new way,” McManus said. “When people connect with their core selves and get clear about what they want to accomplish, they can unlock such massive potential.”
Lean In To Leadership, a development program for mid-career women in the produce industry, is currently running as a pilot from September to November. Current participants include rising stars representing produce firms across the U.S., McManus noted, adding that the program is slated to run again in the spring.
The program includes group calls, along with one-on-one coaching sessions for each participant.
For more fresh news coverage, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
CARIBBEAN SEA - Accuweather meteorologists are monitoring an area of showers and thunderstorms over the central and western Caribbean Sea. These storms could lead to flash flooding over parts of the Caribbean, and have the potential to culminate in a tropical storm as they move northward toward the Bahamas and Florida.
"There is the likelihood for a swath of drenching showers and thunderstorms to target areas from the Leeward Islands to the Greater Antilles and part of Central America," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller. “Several days of downpours in this swath would raise the risk of flash flooding and mudslides beginning on Thursday and continuing into early next week.”
This area of disturbed weather is projected to continue to grow in size and may slowly organize over the next seven to 10 days, according to an Accuweather report.
Although the meteorologists said that it would be impossible to determine which specific locations would be hit the hardest on a given day, they noted that the storms are likely to pulse and cluster with the risk of several inches coming down in only a few hours.
"We expect strong wind shear to continue over the Caribbean in the short term, but the wind shear may gradually weaken over time into this weekend," stated Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski. "This large mass of showers and thunderstorms may gain more spin and may eventually develop while drifting slowly northward.”
Areas from near Jamaica to Cuba, Hispaniola, the Bahamas, and the Florida Peninsula are in the swath where development into a tropical depression or storm could take place later this weekend into next week.
AndNowUKnow will continue to follow these storms as they develop and what their potential impacts on fresh produce might be, so stay tuned.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Gordon Food Service opened its latest retail concept this week. The foodservice provider invited both its traditional clientele and Grand Rapids-area shoppers to see its new urban “experience”-focused format.
The 16,000-square-foot store is a first for the Wyoming-based company that operates 176 stores nationwide. According to local news source MLive, the new format offers a number of unique first-of-their-kind flourishes—including a craft ice cream bar—as well as provides staple products, with a focus on fresh offerings like milk, eggs, bread, and fresh produce.
“We have our traditional foodservice customer, the restaurants and business operators that we need to service out of this store,” said Mark Dempsey, Marketing Manager. “But we also wanted to be relevant to the community and relevant to those who didn't just shop at our stores a few times a year for a party but needed our store for their weekly grocery shopping.”
Senior Manager Brandon Ryan told the news source that the concept was inspired by Manhattan grocers with their extensive focus on fresh food in a convenient format.
“What we saw in Manhattan was this focus on service, the focus on deli, service-bakery,” Ryan told MLive. “We said, ‘You know what, if it's still happening here and where they're at, then it's definitely something we want to bring to Grand Rapids.’”
In addition to servicing grocery store-goers, the company will attend to its restaurant and other foodservice clientele through the new location.
Will Gordon Food Service continue to expand on this fresh-focused format, shifting further into traditional grocery retail channels?
AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
MONTEREY, CA - The Organic Grower Summit has further solidified itself as an event not to miss, announcing the event will feature John Foraker, Co-Founder and CEO of Once Upon a Farm, as its keynote presenter this coming December in Monterey, CA. The Organic Grower Summit is a joint production between California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and Organic Produce Network (OPN).
“As the organic industry continues to grow, it’s an honor to talk with those actively involved in growing fresh organic food about the opportunities the industry has today and looking to the future,” said Foraker.
From co-founding cold-pressed baby food company Once Upon a Farm in 2017 and leading as its CEO, to his prior 30-plus years of experience in the natural and organic food industry, Foraker has built up a reputation as one of its most accomplished and respected executives. Foraker was also the longtime leader of natural and organic food brand Annie’s, Inc., from 1999 to 2017. According to a press release, he took the company public in 2012 as CEO, prior to General Mills’ acquisition of the business in 2014 for $820 million.
Following Foraker’s presentation is The Grower Roundtable, which will feature participants from three of North America’s most prominent organic growing operations: Esteban Macias, Crop Protection Manager/Independent Grower, Grupo U; Robin Graham, Assistant General Manager, Stemilt Ag Services; John France, Founder, Homegrown Organic Farms; and Scott LaRue, Managing Director, Global Head of Investment Banking and Capital Markets, Piper Jaffrey.
Attendee registration for OGS is $499, with discounts available for CCOF members and government and educational members. Registration to OGS is all-inclusive, and includes admittance to the opening reception, educational sessions, keynote presentations, breakfast and lunch, and trade show floor. The tradeshow floor is already nearly sold-out, with only a few exhibitor spaces remaining, so make sure you don’t miss out.
SEATTLE, WA - With seasonal hiring plans about to unfold, ecommerce titan Amazon has announced plans to up pay for all U.S. workers. The company is increasing its minimum wage to $15 effective November 1. The $15 minimum wage increase will include full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal employees and is expected to benefit more than 250,000 Amazon employees, as well as over 100,000 seasonal employees who will be hired at Amazon sites across the country this holiday.
“We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead,” said Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO, in a press release. “We’re excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us.”
The most vocal of those critics may have been Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders who, according to a CNBC report, introduced legislation last month to tax corporations to compensate for tax burden related to low-wage employment; Sanders, at that time, called the bill the “Bezos Act.”
“Today I want to give credit where credit is due,” Sanders said, in response to Amazon's announcement. “What Mr. Bezos has done today is not only enormously important for Amazon's hundreds of thousands of employees, it could well be, and I think it will be, a shot heard around the world.”
The company also noted that its public policy team is beginning to advocate for an increase in the federal minimum wage.
“We will be working to gain Congressional support for an increase in the federal minimum wage. The current rate of $7.25 was set nearly a decade ago,” said Jay Carney, Senior Vice President of Amazon Global Corporate Affairs. “We intend to advocate for a minimum wage increase that will have a profound impact on the lives of tens of millions of people and families across this country.”
Additionally, the company noted, Amazon employees will continue to receive benefits including:
- Comprehensive healthcare, including medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Company-paid life and disability insurance
- Up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave
- 401k matching
- Career Choice, which pre-pays 95% of associates’ tuition for courses in high-demand fields, whether those jobs are at Amazon or another company
- Career Skills, which trains hourly associates in critical job skills like resume writing, how to communicate effectively, and computer basics
For more breaking news in grocery retail, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
DEERFIELD, IL & CINCINNATI, OH - Kroger and Walgreens Boots Alliance are testing a new store format that combines the supermarket chain’s grocery expertise with Walgreens expertise in pharmacy, health, and beauty.
“This exciting collaboration aligns with Kroger’s vision of serving America through food inspiration and uplift,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s Chairman and CEO. “This concept brings together the best of two great brands to rethink convenience and redefine the way America shops for food.”
The retailers have selected 13 Walgreens stores in Northern Kentucky—near Kroger’s Cincinnati headquarters—to pilot the format, which will take place over the next several months. Kroger and Walgreens will develop and test a one-stop shopping experience where customers can access products and services from both companies. Customers will be able to order Kroger grocery items online and pickup orders at the participating Walgreens locations.
“This innovative new concept is an opportunity to test and learn, as we determine how we can best work together to further elevate our customer offering,” said Stefano Pessina, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance. “We continue to evolve our offerings to meet the changing needs of our customers and provide a more differentiated shopping experience. We’ve been implementing new approaches to promotions, product selection, and other areas to deliver greater value in our stores.”
According to a press release, Kroger’s Our Brands grocery items, including Simple Truth®, will also be available in-store at participating Walgreens locations.
What will this new partnership mean for other pick up formats? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
SALINAS, CA - With convenience and having meals ready to rock top of mind for consumers, Taylor Farms has developed a line of chopped salad kits meeting demand for protein within salad kits.
“Taylor Farms first created demand and excitement for chopped salad kits, and now, at the overwhelming requests of our retail customers and salad-loving consumers, we are adding recipes that feature premium grilled chicken,” said Bryan Jaynes, Vice President Product Management and Marketing. “Consumers are increasingly trying to replicate the restaurant experience at a value-price point within their own homes and our salad kits with premium grilled chicken protein offer just that—convenience, great-tasting recipes, and ready-to-eat high quality protein. We are thrilled to be the first to bring to market this line of delicious, high quality protein-packed salads.”
According to Nielsen scan data, salad kit sales are growing double digits. Taylor Farms said in a press release that combining delicious crisp veggies with premium grilled chicken was the perfect evolution to address the needs of consumers seeking better-for-you meal solutions.
“Our go-to-market strategy is about knowing our consumers—conducting research to determine which dressings and ingredients they love—and pairing them with the perfect blend of crisp fresh vegetables and added benefit of premium antibiotic-free grilled chicken that delivers 30 grams of protein per kit,” added Charis Neves, New Product Innovation for Salad Kits. “We are committed to bringing the freshest and most flavorful products to market and this platform continues our innovative salad kit line of crowd-pleasing favorites coming off the recent success of our Buffalo Ranch, Avocado Ranch, and Maple Bourbon Chopped Salad Kits launched last Spring.”
Taylor Farms Grilled Chicken Chopped Kits come in three classic recipes:
Caesar Chopped Kit with Grilled Chicken
- Crisp Romaine Lettuce
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- Garlic & Cheese Crouton Crumbles
- Caesar Dressing
- Premium Antibiotic-Free Diced Grilled Chicken
Club Chopped Kit with Grilled Chicken
- Crisp Romaine Lettuce
- Green and Red Cabbage
- Kale, Carrots, and Green Onions
- Nitrate-free Smoky Bacon
- Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
- Premium Antibiotic-Free Diced Grilled Chicken
Cheddar Ranch Chopped Kit with Grilled Chicken
- Crisp Romaine Lettuce
- Green and Red Cabbage
- Kale, Carrots, and Green Onions
- Nitrate-free Smoky Bacon
- Cheddar Cheese
- Creamy Ranch Dressing
- Premium Antibiotic-Free Diced Grilled Chicken
These are complete meal kit solutions for busy, on-the-go consumers, offering pre-portioned ready-to-eat quality protein, healthy vegetables, and toppings, while delivering on Americans’ love for Caesar, Blue Cheese, and Ranch, which together account for 55 percent of sales in the refrigerated salad dressing category alone, according to the latest 52 weeks IRI data per the latest 52 weeks IRI data. Taylor Farms said that this platform is geared at bringing in new consumers to the produce aisle who would otherwise be seeking complete and quick meals at quick service restaurants (QSRs).
The pre-portioned, ready-to-eat grilled chicken is raised without antibiotics, and the complete kit contains ingredients free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. The products are produced out of the Taylor Farms’ Gonzales, CA, facility, which has been recognized for its renewable and alternative energy efforts, recently achieving the TRUE Platinum certification, the highest level of recognition awarded by the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) Zero Waste program.
Taste the newest addition to Taylor Farms’ line at booth #2173 during PMA’s Fresh Summit October 19-20 in Orlando, Florida.