SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CA - Earthbound Farm has named two longtime veterans of the company to lead its sales team. Dave Moore has been named Division Vice President, West Sales; Glenn Daniels has rejoined the team as Division Vice President, East Sales.
Moore joined Earthbound Farm back in 1995, when he and the recently retired Frank Hinchberger sold their company, Riverside Farms, to the Earthbound Farm family. According to a press release, he has worked with the company’s top customers through the years.
Daniels, a produce industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience, returns to the Earthbound Farm leadership team to work with the East Coast customers he spent years building relationships with. Daniels originally joined Earthbound Farm in 2001.
The company noted that Moore and Daniels have dedicated the bulk of their very successful careers to Earthbound Farm, playing key roles in the company’s dynamic growth over the years, as well as the expansion of organic in retail.
In addition to Moore and Daniels’ promotions, Tim Youmans has been named Vice President of Commodities and National Accounts. Youmans joined the company earlier this year after 17 years as Vice President of Sales with Driscoll’s.
“I am thrilled to solidify Earthbound Farm’s sales leadership with Dave Moore, Glenn Daniels, and Tim Youmans,” said Alan Ediger, Chief Commercial Office. “Dave, Glenn, and Tim are deeply respected by our customers, our sales team, and everyone in the company. Dave and Glenn are inextricably linked to the company’s pioneering heritage and dynamic growth. And although he’s new to the company, Tim’s deep experience and relationships round out the sales leadership team in a way that signals our return to winning.”
Congratulations to Dave Moore, Glenn Daniels, and Tim Youmans on these promotions!
PORTLAND, OR - Basics Market, a new company backed by Pacific Foods Co-Founder Chuck Eggert, promises to “reinvent…grocery,” with a small-format concept that includes a market, classroom, and discovery kitchen—all with an emphasis on healthy and fresh.
“We think one of the best things for your health is to cook your own food, and that the most nourishing ingredients you can use are in season, grown locally,” said Eggert. “One of the ways we saw to help people get the best nutrition was to make what we grow and raise here in Oregon more accessible, and we’re working with others to do the same.”
The first Basics Market will open in Portland, Oregon, this summer, according to a company press release, with a second location in Tualatin opening later in the year and a third in Beaverton in 2019.
At just 7,500 square feet, Basics is just a fraction of the size of a typical supermarket and the format is truly unique, offering a hyper-curated selection that in some ways pairs the strengths of a meal kit with those of a produce department.
Designed for access and offering “just what people need to cook healthy meals at home,” Basics will offer ingredients organized by recipes at five “meal stations” that have been developed by an in-house culinary director and vetted by a nutritionist for optimal health. Shelves will be stocked with just a few choices in every category, prioritized by local and sustainable suppliers whenever possible. The format both allows consumers to select their own fresh products and gives them the culinary direction provided through a meal kit.
“When you have the skills to cook your own meals and a little nutrition guidance, you’re really taking your health into your own hands,” said Store Manager Erin Leiker. “What’s important to all of us is fostering heath and connections in the store, around the table and at the farm. That’s what attracted me to Basics.”
The company noted that the best produce of the season will be delivered fresh daily from a network of local partners.
According to the company’s press release, a collective of farmers, ranchers, grocery veterans, and consumer packaged goods experts are building Basics with Chuck Eggert—whose family members practice regenerative agriculture while also managing some of the largest organic farming operations in the state. And the company noted, Eggert is also working to nurture new agricultural ventures and manufacturing throughout Oregon.
Could Basics Market be a disruptive presence on the better-for-you shopping scene? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
SELAH, WA - A buzzing initiative taking the industry by storm is the pollination conservation effort that is underway on Eastern and Central Washington properties by Rainier Fruit Company. To diversify the habitat and food resources available for bees and other helpful insects, the company is pushing forward with its project that lessens the loss of habitats for native bee species.
“As fruit growers, we depend on pollinators. Enhancing the natural habitat available to native bees and honey bees is a win-win,” Mark Zirkle, President, shared. “These projects will offer forage and nesting resources for bees and increase bee diversity and abundance. We may even see supplemental pollination services for our crops through the impact of these initiatives.”
Rainier Fruit’s efforts are part of a bigger whole, which is known as the General Mills Pollinator Initiative and aims to increase on-farm natural habitat to support native and honey bee populations while also reducing pesticide impacts on bees through reduced applications, improved practices, and the use of biocontrol as pest management, according to a press release.
Rainier Fruit is focusing on its efforts for this initiative to become a leader in conservation practices, as it furthers its existing programs and current best practices.
General Mills has teamed up with Tree Top Growers coop, of which Rainier Fruit is a member, and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation for its Pollinator Conservation Initiative, and it will be giving funding for native seeds, plant materials, and the time of conservation experts from the Xerces Society—who will be planners and consultants throughout the initiative. As a member of Tree Top Growers’ coop, Rainier Fruit will participate and contribute the labor involved in site preparation, planting, installation, and maintenance. Because the project will be such a massive undertaking, the Xerces Society will also be funding the initiative to ensure its success, as well as offering a three-year plan to improve pollinator resources on several Rainier Fruit properties.
Rainier Fruit will be using both wildflowers and hedgegrow plantings of flowering perennial shrubs. Wildflowers will be plug-planted along the edges of the orchards this fall at the first sites. Wildflowers, the press release expresses, support a plethora of pollinating species, and the planting processes is expected to yield blooming plants more quickly than planting from seed. The hedgegrow plantings will be established alongside irrigation ditches and create a meadow near the irrigation pond nearby. The meadow will grow native, low-growing annual and perennial wildflowers, which will be a great resource for bees. Further, the company will also be drill-seeding wildflowers into natural areas where annual grasses are currently growing to diversify the habitat.
“A lot of work goes into preparing these sites so we can ensure the longevity of these projects,” Andy Tudor, VP of Business Development, explained. “We are waiting until the fall of 2019 to plant some of the areas, so we can make sure that each site is adequately prepared, and the wildflower plantings won’t be under heavy weed pressure. We’re also planning accordingly, so we can minimize or eliminate pesticide use once the pollinator habitats have been planted.”
One small—no, one MAJOR step for Rainier Fruit Company; many massive steps for all of us in the industry and everyone who enjoys the fruits it provides.
NEW ZEALAND - Call me a millennial, but there’s only one thing worse than a burglar and that’s one making away with a sack full of stolen avocados. But, luckily justice has been served—and on a slice of toast, too—as Tauranga-based police have arrested three people in relation to a series of avocado thefts—allegedly busting an entire crime ring, according to a report by Radio New Zealand.
Suspicion was raised when avocados began disappearing across Western Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, over the last couple of months, with rural addresses in Te Puke, Welcome Bay, Bethlehem, Te Puna, and Katikati all reporting missing green fruit from their orchards.
Police immediately suspected an organized crime ring was behind the series of thefts, as more than 40 burglaries were reported just this season, according to a report by Newshub.
While we all know why the gem-like fruit is a hot commodity around the world (they're super delicious!), sources report that in addition to their current out-of-season state in New Zealand, a failed summer crop has resulted in high demand in the region.
“There’s a very low supply coming to retailers and available to consumers,” New Zealand Avocado Chief Executive Jen Scoular told Newshub. “Unfortunately, it does create a little bit of an opportunistic time for thieves.”
According to sources, the arrests included an organized receiver who was purchasing the stolen fruit and who has since been charged with two charges of receiving property, along with two other arrests, both of whom are facing multiple burglary charges.
For more of the latest news on avenged avocados and other produce, stay up-to-date with AndNowUKnow.
RIVERSIDE, CA - To me, there is no such thing as an imperfect avocado toast, an imperfect bowl of guacamole, or even an imperfect scoop of avocado ice cream. Promoting its So Good—Grade 2 Avocado brand that offers fruit that has been deemed visually imperfect but tasty all the same is Index Fresh.
The California-based avocado marketer has created a video, which can be found on Vimeo and YouTube, to showcase its So Good—Grade 2 Avocados for retailers and foodservice providers’ sales programs, as well as to customers interested in what sets the company’s offerings apart from others.
“These avocados are great to cook with. They can be included in delicious recipes that will wow even the savviest of avocado enthusiasts,” Director of Sales and Marketing John Dmtyriw said.
For a multitude of reasons, like sun damage or scarring on the skin, avocados can be deemed imperfect or Grade 2, but the company is aiming to prove that a label doesn’t always mean there are brown spots inside and on the actual fruit itself.
“The inside of an imperfect avocado will be the same as the inside of a fruit you buy at the grocery store,” Ventura Field Representative Bailey Diioia shared.
The company partnered up with Vevian Vozmediano, who is a personal chef and lifestyle coach and can be followed @VevianVoz online, to create easy and delicious recipes using Grade 2 avocados. Her recipes can be found here.
“Imperfect fruit is actually perfect for so many recipes and the mango salad with avocado dressing is an excellent example of how we can use these avocados,” Vozmediano said.
The company's video can be seen here:
For more fresh produce news, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
KINGSVILLE, ON - With all the hullaballoo around convenience these days, many companies around our industry are stepping up to ensure flavor isn’t lost in the quest for exciting, convenient product offerings. One such company is SUNSET® Produce.
I tapped Peppe Bonfiglio, Director of Sales, on the United Fresh show floor to get the inside scoop on what makes a few of SUNSET’s latest launches stand out in more ways than one.
“The show has been great. It’s been busy here at our booth,” Peppe told me. “We’re featuring our ALOHA™ Peppers. So, we’re doing an ALOHA rice mix. It’s a little bit citrusy. Adding a little lime to that. And also, we’re serving up our pasta kits. So, these are our ready-made meal solution pasta kits that we’re cooking up as well. Everything we offer here is great flavorful items.”
After launching just as the peak of grilling season hit, the ALOHA Peppers are not only beautiful to look at, thanks to their unique yellow and red striping, but they also bring a sweet, tropical, and versatile flavor to dishes that is perfect for the summer season and beyond.
And, the You Make Me™ pasta kits are a one-two punch of convenient deliciousness. Containing everything consumers need for a gourmet pasta dish—including favorites like Classic Italian, Spicy Arrabbiata, Creamy Parmesan, and Cold Pasta Salad—the kits come fully stocked with tomatoes, pasta, spice packets, and infused olive oil. Cooking has never been this easy.
“What differentiates us is our passion for flavor. We’re always out there looking for the next greatest tomato, cucumber, and pepper that will really set us apart,” Peppe shared.
For the full scoop on what SUNSET has been cooking up of late, check out our exclusive video above. And, for more deep dives into produce, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
UNITED STATES - Many farmers, shippers, and retailers have pondered what effects will be felt throughout the industry if President Trump enforces tariffs. As we previously reported, a round of Chinese tariffs levied on U.S. produce goods in early July 2018 included avocados, potatoes, and cherries. After that, Trump promised $12 billion in aid to farmers hit hardest by the trade tensions. And over the weekend, he tweeted that his tariff plan was working "big time," although there is mounting evidence to the contrary. This time around, experts report that the impact of tariffs will be felt by consumers doing their grocery shopping, despite Trump's insistence that tariffs mean "jobs and great wealth."
According to a report by USA Today, prices for meat and other farm commodities—such as the aformentioned avocados and cherries—could drop because farmers are losing a portion of their overseas markets. Experts say prices at the supermarket could rise if retailers decide to pass the increased costs down to consumers, NBC News reports. Shoppers might see prices rise in general as stores try to spread out the damage, although it is too early to say at this stage in the game.
As the pressure on farmers and producers increases due to escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and its allies, items such as produce, grains, dairy, and beef may see a dip or spike in cost at supermarkets. Although the U.S. does grow its own domestic supply of berries and avocados, it exports the fruits during its off-season, meaning a potential spike in cost.
How will this all play out on the produce front? Will farmers stockpile any of their items before sending them to market? AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the impact of tariffs on our industry.
BENTONVILLE, AR - I think a modern-day rendition of a well-loved Shakespeare quote would be this: “If meal kits be the food of love, sell on.” Let’s face it, meal kits have taken our industry by storm, for better or for worse, and Walmart is the latest retailer to reckon with this boom. The retail chain is teaming up with Gobble Meal Kits to provide the meal kit provider’s products through Walmart’s e-commerce site.
“With more than 75 million items on Walmart.com, we continue to look for new options to offer customers. This includes specialty food items like the meal delivery kits by Gobble, farm fresh crates and snack boxes that give customers convenient options to plan and prepare meals,” a corporate spokesperson for Walmart shared with Fortune via email.
About 50 percent of Gobble’s customers are between 35 and 44 years old, while 25 percent of Blue Apron’s customers are in that same age group, according to a Fortune article. The news source relays that Gobble’s strategy is to focus on busy parents by taking time to find out what they need, instead of promoting rapid growth.
Prior to its recent partnership with Gobble, though, Walmart offered Sun Basket, Takeout Kit, and Home Chef meal kit options for customers to try the companies’ offerings without subscribing. When its e-commerce sales declined in the last quarter of 2017, Walmart’s stock took the biggest tumble it had in decades February of this year. Walmart’s partnership with Gobble, then, is a strategic way to boost online engagement and increase sales.
“I have applied the same efficiencies, process engineering, and intelligent automation to Gobble as I did when I managed the supply chain at Walmart,” Steve Robinson, Gobble’s Vice President of Supply Chain and Operations—and the previous Vice President of Supply Chain at Walmart—explained to Fortune in an email. “It is phenomenal to see my past and present teams now working together.”
The race is on between Amazon and Walmart. As to who will reign as the biggest retailer, the news source shares that, last year, 40 cents of every dollar spent online went to Amazon. With the addition of the new meal kit service online, will Walmart be able to push back against Amazon’s continued success? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated with the latest.
CASTROVILLE, CA - Artichoke provider Ocean Mist Farms is using innovative means to drive sales and reap rich insight into consumers’ shopping behaviors. The brand announced this week that, as part of its continued investment in a 360-degree marketing strategy, Ocean Mist is gaining consumer insights through its partnership with iBotta.
This spring, the brand and iBotta worked together to develop a resource for consumers searching for educational material on the benefits and usage tips for artichokes, recipe inspiration, and digital coupons. In turn, Ocean Mist earned more than 15,000 new shopper contacts that are interested in learning more about the brand.
“While we saw a tremendous amount of engagement with our online communities during the spring promotion, we’re also able to confirm in-store traffic which created a unique touchpoint for us to learn more about the Ocean Mist shopper,” said Diana McClean, Senior Director of Marketing at Ocean Mist Farms, in a press release. “Now that we have new contacts that have indicated they would like to receive more information on Ocean Mist Farms, we are able to nurture their unique preferences to keep them engaged to become stronger artichoke advocates who are motivated to continue to purchase artichokes.”
Through the retail specific data Ocean Mist has gained from its partnership with iBotta, the brand is able to verify that more than 9,500 shoppers used the technology to download a coupon for Ocean Mist branded products and completed an in-store purchase. The brand was then able to measure in-store purchases while learning more about the shopping behaviors on a new demographic of consumers buying Ocean Mist products.
The brand employed strategic influencer partnerships in conjunction with the digital coupon campaign. Influencers spoke to a national audience on trending topics in an effort to spark continuing culinary creativity and recipe inspiration. And, Ocean Mist noted in its press release, the brand was also featured on a nationally syndicated television segment in addition to gaining coverage on NBC News Better for Instant Pot recipe content.
“We seek to continue to inspire and educate our online communities with enriched content from influencers who can speak to these trends,” added McClean. “We believe that Ocean Mist Farms can be a resource for the inexperienced artichoke cook as well as the polished chef by keeping a pulse on what’s going on in the artichoke enthusiast’s world.”
For more fresh produce news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
SALEM, NH - You know what they say: there’s no rest for multi-billion-dollar retail behemoths looking to constantly best their competition. I would argue Walmart has probably said, “Sleep? I don’t know her,” at some point in its quest to be the best. After just announcing a new self-driving online grocery pilot last week, Walmart is taking to tech again this week and kicking off another pilot aimed at innovating online grocery.
Launching with the grand re-opening of the retailer’s Salem, New Hampshire, supercenter, Walmart’s Alphabot, piloted in partnership with startup Alert Innovation, is here to ensure online grocery is faster than ever.
“Over the past two years, we’ve piloted and implemented dozens of new technologies in stores across the country as we continue our quest to save precious time for our customers and associates. Today, we’re taking another big step on that journey by bringing cutting-edge automation tech into the backroom of a supercenter,” Mark Ibbotson, Executive Vice President of Central Operations, Walmart U.S., writes in a post on Walmart.com.
Alphabot is designed to streamline the fulfillment process by automatically bringing items from storage to associates. Rather than waste time having associates peruse store aisles hunting for items, the Alphabot will travel on automated mobile carts on a 20,000-square-foot extension to retrieve and deliver products to associates at pick stations, who will then consolidate and pack the orders.
“The vast majority of grocery products we offer in-store will be fulfilled through this system, though our personal shoppers will still handpick produce and other fresh items. We plan to have Alphabot online and running by the end of the year,” Ibbotson continues.
Has Walmart’s latest pilot cracked the code to online grocery or does the retailer or one of its competitors have another innovation up its sleeve? AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the changes happening in grocery.