VICTOR, NY - As a creative, I feel like a crucial part of my soul journey is to venture to New York—a trip that has been on the top of my to-do list for years, but still has yet to happen. With the New York Apple Association’s (NYAA) latest efforts to keep retailers’ excitement top-notch and satisfy consumers’ cravings for New York apples and their signature flavor, coloring, and texture, my New-York-yearning soul might be content with another season away from the Big Apple.
I chatted with NYAA President and CEO Cynthia Haskins to learn more about this season’s iconic favorites coming out of the region—which boasts 26 different apple varieties, including born-in-New-York legends Empire and Cortland and New York exclusives RubyFrost® and SnapDragon®—and the initiatives NYAA is implementing as crop hits retail.
“NYAA is the marketing organization for the more than 600 commercial apple growers in New York State. We are committed to raising consumer awareness and working directly with retailers to promote New York’s apples, known for their exceptional color, flavor, and texture,” Cynthia tells me. “The 2018 growing season has been sensational and harvest is in its earliest stages. The harvest lineup is showing early varieties like Ginger Gold and Paula Red coming in first, followed by McIntosh and Honeycrisp at the start of September, with favorites like Cortland and Empire hitting later in the month.”
Cynthia reveals that volume will be up this year thanks to the growing region’s expanding acreage—up to 41,000 acres in six districts across New York state—that includes over 11 million trees producing on average 29.5 million bushels of apples annually. And the top ten apple-growing counties—Wayne, Ulster, Orleans, Niagara, Clinton, Columbia, Monroe, Orange, Onondaga, and Dutchess—have reported a good range of sizes is coming out of the orchards and that color is near perfect this year, in part because the weather has been ideal.
“New York has ideal growing conditions, which includes rich soil, abundant sun and water, and a long growing season. This season, New York had warm weather, a successful bloom, and bountiful pollination activities, followed by rain, which fostered a great growing season,” Cynthia says. “There is no decline in consumer demand for great tasting apples. In fact, the category continues to explode and is showcasing flavor, convenience, and versatility like never before. And, as snacking continues to become more sophisticated as consumers look for ways to turn a snack into an on-the-go meal alternative, we’re getting to bolster New York apples as a delicious pairing with dips, nuts, cheeses, pretzels, spreads, and in salads.”
To stay on top of changing consumer demand, the NYAA is switching up its consumer and trade marketing initiatives to answer the question, “What kind of brand experience do people have when they sink their teeth into a New York apple?” This will include new brand messages and fresh ways to assist retailers with outreach via traditional circular ads, in-store demos, signage, social media support, and, beginning this year, a national display contest that will award two grand prize winners with trips for two to one of two picturesque apple regions in New York. The NYAA is even tapping into popular state events as a means to push New York apples to the top of retailers’ and consumers’ minds.
“Because the legendary Empire apple was born in New York, New York apples will be the official apple of this year’s TCS New York City Marathon—it only makes sense that an event devoted to fitness involves a healthy food like a New York apple. Also, we are sponsoring the Big Apple Crunch, an annual event that involves more than two million New Yorkers biting into a New York apple at precisely 2 pm on October 25th,” Cynthia explains.
One thing is for sure, New York apples are just as fun as the state they’re from and the New York Apple Association is making sure no one forgets that this season.
For more on how fresh fruit and veg is faring around the world, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
GREENSBORO, NC - Produce needs a mode of transportation to get from the fields to retail, and unfortunately, that department is experiencing a shortage across the nation.
According to a report by WFMY, the American Trucking Association reported that a record shortage of truck drivers is sweeping through the nation. To meet industries’ demands, the trucking industry needs roughly 90,000 drivers annually, but currently has a shortage of 50,000. The Temple Daily Telegram also noted that if the shortage continues, that number could increase to 174,000 by 2026.
“Here in the Triad, we’re short probably in the percentage rate of about 10-20 percent every month,” said Karl Robinson, CEO of R&R Transportation, according to WFMY. “We have companies that have 1,000 trucks and 200 trucks are sitting so that’s a very bad problem in the Triad.”
Because of the trucking shortage, many have witnessed delayed deliveries and increased prices. But some within the trucking industry have been combatting the shortage with solutions, like choosing the best routes per trip and advocating for more truck driving schools in communities
“Over the course of the last year, the national shortage of truck drivers has put pressure on our ability to serve our customers at the highest level,” Ronald Timperio, Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain, Wilsonart, said according to the Temple Daily Telegram. “We won’t allow this pressure to negatively impact our customer satisfaction. Therefore, one of the things we are doing is using our internal fleet for sub-optimal routes to ensure we service our customers at the highest possible level.”
Mike Sakellaridis, General Manager of Renaissance Community Cooperative, added, “Sometimes with smaller companies, when you have vendors of small things, they have some struggles to get products the exact day you need it, so there might be delays for a certain small vendor. We need a truck driving school in Guilford county to train our drivers. In Davidson county they have one, and we had planned to have one in Guilford county, but it never came to fruition.”
Will more rise to the occasion and come up with solutions to solve the trucking shortage? AndNowUKnow will continue to report on this and other challenges the produce industry continues to face.
SALINAS, CA - Saving time and preparing hearty, wholesome, and healthy meals have traditionally been thought of as incompatible. But Mann Packing is making mealtime easier than ever with convenient solutions that buck convention and offer on-trend flavors and a home-cooked satisfaction in under five minutes. Recently Mann’s Nourish Bowls® were featured on a TODAY Show segment wherein Eat This, Not That! founder and TODAY contributor David Zinczenko broke down kitchen time-savers that cut prep time while encouraging healthy eating.
“‘I don't have time to cook!’ As founder of Eat This, Not That!, I hear that from fans every day. And my answer is simple: ‘You don't have to.’ That's because it's possible to eat healthy and delicious meals in minutes, especially if you choose from this list of amazingly awesome time savers,” said Zinczenko, in his introduction to the segment.
To learn more about the innovative Nourish Bowl line and the ways in which retail customers can take advantage of the popular Mann’s brand, I reached out to Mann’s VP of Sales, Marketing, & Product Management, Rick Russo.
“We offer so many innovative products, it is only natural that we put an emphasis on proactively pitching media like the TODAY Show,” said Russo. “Jacob Shafer, our Senior Marketing & Communications Specialist, connected with Eat This, Not That! reps at a media event in New York earlier this year. Through his work—and because Nourish Bowls fit Dave’s segment on the most exciting quick and easy foods on the market so perfectly—we were able achieve this great win for the brand.”
Russo told me that the feature was an ideal fit for Mann’s—a company dedicated to innovative and tasty value-added offerings that save consumers time and effort and help retail customers generate sales.
“We know that a large number of consumers are seeking healthy, convenient meal solutions,” continued Russo. “Making those solutions portable adds another layer of value for that consumer. We feel with Nourish Bowls we have filled that need with a variety of vegetables that are nutrient dense, on trend, and what consumers are reading about and looking for when they shop. We have been very conscious of the sauces and condiments we select so that the final product is not only great tasting, but well within the calorie goals of those who are watching that number.”
As Zinczenko noted on the TODAY Show, Mann’s Nourish Bowls can cut prep time from three-fourths of an hour to three minutes. And shaving more than forty minutes off a busy schedule has, to many consumers, been tremendously helpful—if not indispensable. And with flavors like Basil Pesto, featuring kohlrabi noodles, kale, and vegan Chick’n in pesto sauce and Parmesan cheese, and Tomato Bolognese, with kohlrabi noodles, carrot, and vegan sausage in marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese, Mann’s bowls will satisfy even the most discerning palate.
“Consumer acceptance was instantaneous. We have begun to connect through social media with what we call Nourish Bowl ‘fanatics.’ These are folks who talk about eating a Nourish Bowl 4-5 times per week,” Russo explained. “While they will use the product as standalone, we have also seen a multitude of ideas for using the product as a base for a larger meal with other add ins, or in some cases a foundation for an entrée recipe. The ideal Nourish Bowl customer is active, conscious of what they are putting into their body, and definitely seeking adventurous flavors.”
Several years ago, Russo noted, Mann Packing began to see the emergence of bowls in the foodservice arena, and with the success and popularity of the single-serve salad kit reaching an apogee, the forward-thinking company decided warm meal kits could be the next frontier for the fresh-cut veggie provider.
“Those two trends together laid out a pretty obvious opportunity for us as a major fresh cut vegetable producer. With some ideation from chef panels, and a lot of hard work from our new product development team, the first four concepts were born,” Russo noted, and he explained, Mann Packing is continuing to work on its innovative product line, paving the way for future offerings that propel the category forward. “We don’t plan on resting on our early success with Nourish Bowls. We are investing in equipment to provide us with a longer horizon in capacity, and planning more unique concepts in the line. Stay tuned.”
For more fresh produce news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Indiana-based Cibus Fresh, a foodservice company that specializes in high-quality and made-to-order packaged convenience foods, has been acquired by Indianapolis Fruit and Piazza Produce (IF&P Foods), which will expand the company’s grab-and-go offerings to include chef-curated sandwiches, wraps, flatbreads, salads, snack packs, and parfait cups.
In addition to the expanded line that this acquisition will offer, an 11,000-square-foot state-of-the-art FDA- and USDA-inspected kitchen facility certified with the Federal Grant of Inspection will also be included. This makes sure that optimum food safety and regulation is adhered.
“By combining Cibus Fresh’s unique approach to fresh convenient foods with our extensive expertise in produce and specialty foods distribution, we’re primed to exceed our customers’ expectations with new offerings, quality and speed of delivery,” IF&P’s President and CEO Greg Corsaro shared.
IF&P became one entity in 1997 when the two companies merged—Indianapolis Fruit distributed to individual grocers and grocery chains, and Piazza Produce distributed to foodservice establishments, according to a press release. Both focus on fresh, including organic. Local and culturally specific product segments are also a focus for the companies. After acquiring Cibus Fresh, over 60 new food varieties will be added to the IF&P Foods lineup, as the companies move forward with innovative creations.
“We’re thrilled to become a part of the IF&P Foods family,” said Kurt Layer, Co-Founder of Cibus Fresh. “Having access to more resources means we can get even more creative in the design and delivery of our culinary creations. Together we can advance the convenience food industry in ways we could never do alone.”
Cibus Fresh’s employees will stay with the company, including Co-Founders Kurt Layer and Bill Pitrelli.
For more fresh produce happenings, stay tuned into AndNowUKnow.
BENTONVILLE, AR - Implementing a new system, Walmart’s e-commerce strategy is in for a big change. Online shoppers may find that certain household items they wish to place in their cart will be “out of stock.” These items—considered too far away from a customer’s shipping address—will then be unavailable for purchase. The move stems from the retailer’s attempt to avoid orders with high shipping costs. Prior to this new system, Walmart would ship anything regardless of cost or distance.
The shift in shipping is part of a test, Walmart said, to see if it can deliver more products via ground shipping, a cheaper option than air shipping, in two days or less. It also aims to reduce what it calls split shipments—online orders that arrive in multiple packages from different warehouses, Ravi Jariwala, Senior Director, Public Relations, told Wall Street Journal.
Executives at Walmart suppliers told WSJ that this new system has led to a decline in sales at certain companies that sell their products online with the retailer. Some suppliers weren’t warned of the change in advance, and under this new system, they will have to stock their products at more Walmart warehouses around the country to keep sales steady, an executive at a large food company told the publication.
“I think, long term, it’s absolutely the right choice” to make shipments more profitable, the executive said. “Short term, it’s a bit chaotic.”
The new system test applies to products shoppers buy most, including household cleaners, nonperishable groceries, pet food, and cosmetics. Jariwala said shoppers shouldn’t notice a big increase in out-of-stock items because Walmart will suggest similar products from nearby warehouses.
Walmart reportedly is using its expanded fulfillment network and tests of this sort to “bring the cost down,” said Jariwala.
The new system is similar to technology used on Jet.com, the online retail startup Walmart bought two years ago, and the company is placing Jet’s Founder Marc Lore at the head of Walmart’s U.S. e-commerce operations.
Will this strategy rule in Walmart's favor? AndNowUKnow will keep you up-to-date.
EMERYVILLE, CA - Grocery Outlet’s opportunistic buying strategy has been a foundation from which it has seen much growth, as it has risen to national popularity. As the company is run under the third generation of the family, MacGregor Read and Eric Lindberg, who is married to a Read, both Co-CEO and partner with private equity firm Hellman & Friedman.
Lindberg expressed in a Forbes piece that 60 percent of what it stocks in stores is bought opportunistically, and that strategy is to be expanded in its fresh foods offerings, including the chain’s fastest growing sections that fall under its NOSH program (natural, organic, specialty, and health). Now, Lindberg and Hillman Friedman want to bring the banner national, putting its national brand front and center.
The independently-owned stores are able to stock their stores with what they choose, but Lindberg expressed that the advantage of Grocery Outlet, in comparison with competitors like ALDI, is that the chain offers branded foods according to the local involvement that pays attention to what each branch’s consumers are wanting.
How will Grocery Outlet’s strategy impact other chains’ success in local communities? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated.
OXNARD, CA - Mission Produce is expanding its reach and capabilities in the Pacific Northwest after opening a state-of-the-art ripening and forward distribution center (FDC) in Portland, Oregon.
“Mission is extremely excited about this new facility,” said Steve Barnard, President and CEO. “We are always looking ahead and considering the demand for avocados. Our continued growth within the ripe category is necessary. This FDC is strategically positioned in Portland, Oregon, to broaden our ripe capabilities in the Pacific-Northwest region, keeping Mission within a 24-hour truck drive away anywhere nationwide.”
According to a press release, the Portland facility houses five functional refrigerated loading docks, five temporary non-refrigerated docks, coolers, a refrigerated control system, and ripe rooms.
“Portland, Oregon, is a great location for our new FDC,” added Ben Barnard, Vice President of Global Partnerships and Business Development. “This new facility, at 58,000 square feet, will expand our ripe capacity by providing 10 ripe rooms that are each capable of storing 24 pallets. Also, the facility will enhance our cold storage by offering two coolers and a cutting-edge refrigerated control system."
To celebrate the opening of the new facility, Mission hosted a grand opening on August 30 for customers and potential partners to get a first glimpse at the FDC and meet members of the Mission team from quality, sales, and ripening.
“Our team of Mission trained experts were thrilled to host this grand opening. They are ready to continue assisting the Pacific-Northwest region with their ripening expertise and knowledge of the avocado industry standards,” said Ryan Fink, Vice President of North American Operations. “By continuing to expand our facilities, we are able to better serve our growing customer base with additional capacity to react when needed. Also, with the upgraded refrigeration and ripening controls, we are able to continue to monitor and ensure conditions stay optimal to deliver the highest quality fruit to our customers daily.”
For more news on grand openings, new facilities, and expanded capabilities, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
VIDALIA, GA - As we prepare to go wheels up toward this week’s Southern Innovations, I am already dreaming about what is in store for me and the rest of the industry at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. From what John Shuman, President of Shuman Produce, recently shared with me, we all have a lot to be excited about.
“Southern Innovations has always been a wonderful event, but the recent added focus on organics and foodservice has brought a lot of value to us. We look forward to chatting with our partners about our capabilities and initiatives in these two categories,” John shares when I ask why this show in particular is one not to be missed. “We will be showcasing our RealSweet® organic sweet onions, as well as discussing various foodservice options.”
It’s no secret that the organic category has exploded over the last few years, and John says that the RealSweet organic sweet onions have become an important part of Shuman’s overall go-to-market strategy.
“Demand for organic product continues to grow and the organic sweet onions shipped under the RealSweet label carry very high standards, built on our four core values: consistent, superior quality, industry-best customer service, innovative marketing, and giving back to the communities where our product is sold.”
You can get up close and personal with these tasty offerings yourself at booth #119. The big event is September 6-9, see you there!
U.S. GULF COAST - Meterologists are reporting that Tropical Storm Gordon may make landfall over the central Gulf Coast Tuesday evening as a Category 1 hurricane, according to AccuWeather.
"Gordon made a first landfall near Flamingo, Florida, shortly after 9 a.m. EDT Monday," stated Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller. "As a result, Gordon will make two landfalls in the United States this week.”
According to meteorologists, Gordon is moving quickly. Strong wind gusts of up to 75 mph, battering waves, above-normal tides, minor coastal flooding, flash flooding, and a couple of isolated tornadoes and waterspouts will be concerns in coastal areas from the upper Florida Gulf coast to the Louisiana Mississippi Delta region into Tuesday night.
Senior Meterologist Alex Sosnowski stated that Gordon’s fast movement, coupled with wind shear—a change in wind direction and/or speed with altitude—should limit the storm’s intensity. However, given how warm the water is, the storm will be monitored closely.
"There is a non-tropical storm west of Gordon that is causing some of the wind shear," Sosnowski said."So it is quite possible that if that non-tropical storm weakens and wind shear diminishes, Gordon could ramp up to a hurricane Tuesday afternoon and early evening, just prior to landfall.”
Flash flooding is likely from the central Gulf Coast to the lower Mississippi Valley, AccuWeather reported. Four to eight inches of rain can fall from the western Florida Panhandle through southern Alabama and into Mississippi. This rainfall will lead to flooding and possibly even some washouts of roadways, according to Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.
The storm may eventually join up with a non-tropical system across the northern tier of the country and enhance flooding downpours in the central Plains and the Midwest.
AndNowUKnow will continue to follow these storms as they develop and their potential impacts on fresh produce, so stay tuned.
LOS ANGELES, CA - The reign of mushrooms is here and now, with fungi experiencing a revolution of sorts across our industry. While many foodservice operators, culinary professionals, and shoppers are jostling to get their hands on the produce up-and-comer, companies like Guan’s Mushrooms are still seeing a need for information on the fungi category to be more widespread. With varieties like portobello and cremini mushrooms old hat now to consumers, Guan’s Mushrooms is launching Blends in four major West Coast retail markets as a means to familiarize consumers with specialty mushrooms and make them a year-round household staple.
I chatted with Vivianna Van Horst, Business Development Manager, to dig deeper into Guan’s Mushrooms’ new line of value-added specialty mushrooms, set to hit retail in September.
“Guan’s Mushrooms started in 1996 when Juliet Chu and David Guan started a mushroom business in China. They then brought the business over to Northern California, and became well-known in the foodservice and meal kit delivery realms, supplying mushrooms to Purple Carrot and more. As a result, everyone in foodservice knows who we are, but we are not as well-known in retail. So, we’re going to change that,” Vivianna tells me. “With our dive into retail, our biggest goal is to share the health benefits of mushrooms as the category is much more than what meets the eye.”
One way Guan’s Mushrooms is educating shoppers on the health benefits and versatility of specialty mushrooms is through the new line itself. The line includes different combinations of three types of mushrooms perfect for specific flavor palettes, recipes, and seasons, including Protein, Barbecue, Pasta, Stir Fry, Stew, Soup, and Thanksgiving Stuffing Blends. The 6-ounce packaging includes images and easy-to-follow recipes, and Vivianna notes that the packaging makes the Specialty Mushrooms Blends perfect for cross-promoting almost anywhere in the store.
The company is also holding demos at store locations in Los Angeles, wielding social media, and promoting with programs like City of Hope—anytime a shopper buys a package of mushrooms, a portion of the proceeds are donated to the cancer treatment charity—to talk about the health of mushrooms.
“Since we’re trying to not just say ‘hey, here’s this product,’ but rather inform people how to use the product, response has been great, and everybody is loving the Blends. As a company, we never hear any complaints; everybody talks about how fantastic our quality and response time is. We have several local farms located around the U.S., so we can ship our mushrooms fresh. While many companies leave their mushrooms in the ground for 50 days, we leave them in the ground for 90 days, so that the mushroom flavor is deeper. On top of that, we don’t use manure; everything is grown in cotton and sawdust, so all of our mushrooms are clean and sustainable,” Vivianna explains.
There’s a reason mushrooms are leading the produce charge into shoppers’ carts these days and Guan’s Mushrooms’ new line of Specialty Mushrooms Blends is just fuel to the flame.
For more of the latest in produce, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.