SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Instacart announced earlier this week that it hired its first Chief Communications Officer, Dani Dudeck.
According to a report by TechCrunch, Dudeck has been in the communications world for the past 15 years, serving as VP of Global Communications at MySpace for four years and moving on to Zynga as CCO in 2010. At Zynga, Dudeck oversaw corporate and consumer reputation of the brand before and, after its IPO, helped the company through both tremendous periods of growth and a rapidly changing mobile gaming landscape.
“We’ve been an Instacart family for years, and as a mom it’s been a game changer for me,” Dudeck said in a prepared statement obtained by TechCrunch. “Our home is powered by Instacart because over the years, I saw how the products helped me better manage our household rhythm. Whether I’m doing a fast diaper delivery or fresh groceries for our weekly shopping, I love feeling like I can be in two places at once while getting to spend more time with my family."
Dudeck continued, stating that "After getting to know the internal team, I was blown away by the strength of Instacart’s business and the unique culture they’ve created. By building on that success, we have a compelling opportunity to grow Instacart into a beloved, household name and turn Express into a must-have membership for families and busy people everywhere. I’m excited to join the management team and partner with them to accelerate their ambitious plans for future growth.”
Dudeck joins Instacart at time when the grocery sector is becoming increasingly competitive. Though Instacart shows no signs of slowing down, as it earned $150 million in funding this last April, speculation always swirls around tech companies entering into the grocery business.
Will this new hire be a chance for the company to out-maneuver competitors such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart? AndNowUKnow will continue to report the latest.
CHELAN, WA - While summer is officially in full swing—which means cherries, apples, and more cherries—Chelan Fresh is already looking ahead to upcoming seasons, so that the sweet flavors we often crave in summer can continue all year long.
I recently caught up with Mac Riggan, Chelan Fresh’s Director of Marketing, at the United FreshMKT Expo, to find out more about the varieties making a splash in retail now and to get a teaser for the upcoming fall season.
“On our Rockit™ apple, we’re featuring both the tubes here at the Smart booth, and then we have a 3-pound shuttle pack, which we’ve kind of dubbed 'The Millennial Mom’s Cookie Jar.' We like that because moms can take it home, put it on the counter, and we all know the kids eat what they see, but, because it has great shelf-life, it will stay on the counter, and the kids can eat it, and Mom gets what she wants when they eat the good snacks,” Mac shared with me.
Along with the Rockit apple, Mac also highlighted Chelan Fresh’s New Zealand-grown KORU® apple and the SugarBee™ apple, a cross between a Honeycrisp and a Fuji that saw about 70,000 boxes this year. Mac revealed to me that the SugarBee is his favorite apple because it eats really well.
In addition to apples, Mac also spoke about Chelan Fresh’s cherries, including the exclusive Orondo Ruby® cherry, Rainier cherries, and Cowiche cherry, which the company is highlighting under the wild cherry category.
“With cherries, we had a great spring weather, we had great cell division in the fruit, and so we have a really good crop of cherries. They’re a little bigger than last year, the flavor’s great, so I’m anticipating a really good year for both growers and retailers. Heading into this fall, I think we’re going to see the same thing happen with apples,” Mac said.
For more details on Chelan Fresh’s extensive apple and cherry varieties and the upcoming season, check out our exclusive video above.
For more exclusive videos like this, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
OXNARD, CA - For those of us looking to get more out of our avocado obsession, Mission Produce is here to help. The company has just released its third edition of its AvocaDOs and DON’Ts Quality Reference Guide. This version plays off the success of its Retail and Food Service editions released several months ago.
“Avocado users are hungry for more information in order to capitalize on one of the hottest commodities in the produce industry,” said Denise Junqueiro, Director of Marketing. “It’s a comprehensive guide we know quality assurance managers, buyers, and produce professionals alike will find valuable and instrumental in supporting their avocado program.”
The guide provides information on various quality concerns, as well explains different conditions of the fruit, from checkerboarding to lenticel spotting, limb rub to ridging, and everything in between.
“Many conditions are harmless to the pulp of the fruit and are just cosmetic,” said Ryan Fink, Director of Global Quality and Distribution.
This “best practices” guide also dives into information about storage and handling techniques based on seasonality and origin of the fruit, as well as proper assessment practices for ripening and detailed descriptions of quality conditions. Information in the guide also provides tools to support the management of a successful avocado program. According to a company press release, it gives customers and produce professionals tips and know-how from Mission’s team of experts based on years of experience and attention to scientifically proven methods.
“With the rise in avocado consumption and the entry of more global sources, customers need access to proper handling practices for all origins and production cycles. This guide is a one-stop shop to gain that understanding,” said Brent Scattini, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
For the latest in fresh produce news, keep reading us here at AndNowUKnow.
SALINAS, CA - Taylor Farms has awarded over $1 million in scholarship funds to 95 students pursuing higher education at a 4-year university or graduate program. The company recently hosted employees and their families at its annual Scholarship Luncheon, where 20 students were presented with college scholarships. All the scholarship winners are children of active, full-time Taylor Farms employees.
“Taylor Farms is honored to support our team and their families,” said CEO Bruce Taylor. “We are committed to a vibrant America with education as the foundation for opportunity.”
Taylor Farms partnered with the Community Foundation for Monterey County to expand the scholarship program’s reach this year, according to a company press release, which doubled the number of first-time recipients from 10 to 20 and awarding $100,000 in new scholarships.
These scholarships are tailored to support students throughout their entire academic career, where recipients receive an upfront check for $5,000 and a guaranteed renewal of $5,000 for each year they remain in an undergraduate or graduate program.
"I have so much respect and admiration for Taylor Farms. Their commitment to higher education and to our community is incredible,” said Miguel Zavala, 2015 Taylor Farms Scholarship Recipient and UC Berkeley, School of Law, Graduate. “Their generosity and support has allowed me to achieve my dream of graduating from Berkeley Law."
Along with the new scholarship recipients, Taylor Farms is also awarding over $150,000 in renewed scholarships.
2018 recipients include:
- Christian Ortiz – University of California, Davis
- Daniel Munoz – California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
- Denisse Garcia Zavala – University of Arizona
- Diego Ramirez – California State University, Chico
- Dylan Urias – Arizona State University
- Giselle Camarena Rodriguez – San Jose State University
- Grace Niccum – Northern Arizona University
- Grayson Michael McGrew – University of California, Los Angeles
- Griselda Tizcareno – Arizona State University
- Hector Juarez-Vargas – University of California, Berkeley
- Javier Acosta – Arizona State University
- Joshua Alfaro – San Francisco State University
- Juan Carlos Rios Rodriguez – California State University, Long Beach
- Justin Farias – California State University, Monterey Bay
- Maria Elisa Santiago Cruz – University of California, Santa Barbara
- Maria Guadalupe Jaramillo – San Jose State University
- Melissa Rios Arias – University of California, Merced
- Nini Isabel Preciado – Arizona State University
- Paola Estrada Tena – University of California, Davis
- Sarahi Ramirez Cortes – California State University, Monterey Bay
For the latest in ways our industry looks to invest in the future, stick with AndNowUKnow.
TORONTO, CANADA - Amazon's entry into brick-and-mortar retail has created a stir over the course of the last year, but should grocery retailers be shaken? This week, Shark Tank star and investment guru Kevin O’Leary offered insights into the competition between the online giant and two of its top competitors—Target and Walmart.
“If you look at behemoth big boxes that are going to survive the next decade against Amazon, I would put Walmart in that basket, along with Target. Because if you look at what they’re doing and the kind of people they’re hiring on their teams and the efforts and the logistics they’re putting in place, they look like survivors to me,” O'Leary told CNBC’s “Closing Bell.”
O’Leary also noted the shrewdness with which retailers like Target and Walmart have shifted strategy, targeting specific urban markets and acquiring e-tail partners.
Making reference to the Bronx-based fulfillment center that Walmart-owned Jet.com recently announced, O’Leary noted: “Making moves like this with distribution centers that can provide hourly delivery and large metropolitan areas; that’s part of the game plan.”
Target, meanwhile, has been making a concerted effort to overhaul its stores and expand its online presence. After acquiring Shipt for $550 million late last year, Target is continuing to focus on small-format urban stores, taking a similar tack to Walmart.
Will O’Leary’s predictions play out, with a robust Walmart and Target “making the right tactical moves” to combat Amazon? AndNowUKnow will continue to report on competition in the grocery space.
WASHINGTON, DC - Last week, the U.S. imposed 25 percent tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese imports; China responded immediately, going head-to-head with the U.S. by placing tariffs on the same amount of U.S. goods. This week, the Trump administration is threatening 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods, and China is warning retaliation after feeling “bullied” by the “completely unacceptable” latest round, the country said in a statement, according to a report by Reuters. Because $200 billion exceeds the total value of goods China imports from the U.S., many are speculating China could get creative with its rebuttal.
While China is not yet definitive on how it will respond to the latest round of tariffs, sources suggest “qualitative measures” could roll out soon. These measures could include thorough inspections, delays in investment approvals, and consumer boycotts, all of which threaten U.S. businesses in China. Other measures could include holding up licenses for U.S. companies, delaying approvals of mergers involving U.S. firms, and increasing border inspections of American goods, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Reuters reports Louis Kuijs, Hong Kong-based Head of Asia Economics at Oxford Economics, expects China to strongly condemn the U.S. moves, but foresees policy response to be limited for now—“in part because they have only limited ammunition and in part because it’s still early in the process on the U.S. side,” he said.
This week, U.S. officials listed thousands of Chinese import items, including hundreds of food products, tobacco, chemicals, coal, steel, aluminum, as well as consumer goods, that would be targeted with new tariffs by the Trump administration, subject to a two-month public comment period before taking effect.
“For over a year, the Trump administration has patiently urged China to stop its unfair practices, open its market, and engage in true market competition,” said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer as he announced the proposed tariffs. “Rather than address our legitimate concerns, China has begun to retaliate against U.S. products…there is no justification for such action.”
While President Trump has followed through on pledges made during his presidential campaign to “get tough on China,” which eventually may include imposing tariffs on more than $500 billion worth of Chinese goods, some are critical of the aggression and how it will effect farmers and workers.
“Tariffs are taxes, plain and simple. Imposing taxes on another $200 billion worth of products will raise the costs of every day goods for American families, farmers, ranchers, workers, and job creators. It will also result in retaliatory tariffs, further hurting American workers,” said a U.S. Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman.
How will China ultimately respond as tensions continue to heighten between the two nations? AndNowUKnow will continue to follow all developments.
SALINAS, CA - With this year’s Organic Produce Summit (OPS) now mere hours away, the produce industry has been buzzing with all things related to the already thriving three-year-old show. Alicia Blanco, Marketing Manager, and Dan Canales, Sr. VP of Sales and Marketing, for Ippolito International were some of those buzzing industry members, and also more than happy to give me a sneak preview of what the company is bringing to the forefront at the Monterey, California, show this week.
“This is the organic show of the year for our industry. The amount of exposure to the nation’s top retailers for the two-day event in our backyard is a rare opportunity," Alicia tells me when I ask her why Ippolito continues to come back to OPS. “This year, we will be highlighting the latest emerging vegetable Organic Asparagus under the Queen Victoria brand. We will also be displaying Organic Brussels Sprouts, Organic Chopped Kale, and Organic Salads in our booth.”
Queen Victoria Organic Asparagus is an important product for Ippolito International, as it is not only in the OPS showcase this year, but, as we reported earlier this year, was recently expanded as part of new operations in Salinas Valley at Coastal View Packing.
“With our newly acquired asparagus program—which incorporates organic—we are able to offer our customers high profile organic items that continue to gain popularity with consumers,” Dan Canales explains. “Our key messaging at this show is that we will continue to expand our organic offerings for both value-added and commodity items.”
Having introduced its new Queen Victoria Brand Organic greens and lettuces at last year’s OPS show, Ippolito International has no plans of slowing down momentum for its growing organic program. Dan tells me a key aspect of the company’s future plan is to recreate its success by expanding into the organic asparagus category, as well as other strategic products and packs in the value-added sector.
“We are going to continue to lengthen our growing periods with a goal of expanding our year-round availability on certain categories,” Dan notes. “We are the largest supplier of Brussels Sprouts in North America; however, we have over 45 different commodities and 100s of pack sizes, including organic SKUs. We are continuing to grow our availability and are a full scale operation; both allow our customers more efficient stops for their trucks.”
Ippolito will have its organic line ready for retail eyes at OPS booth #107, so stop on by and learn more about all these organic experts have to offer.
MEXICO CITY, MX - Last week, 3.5 tons of avocados disappeared with the briskness of 1,000 ravenous millennials—except this time, millennials were not to blame. According to the Ministry of Public Security (SSP) in Uruapan, Michoacán, a major hub for avocados in Mexico, the 7,000-some-odd pounds of stolen avocados were recovered from a trailer after being stolen by just two alleged perpetrators.
As explained in a statement from the SSP, Michoacán police officials recovered the trailer in the neighborhood of Lomas del Valle Sur, in the municipal capital of Uruapan. Upon noticing the officers sniffing around the trailer, the driver of the vehicle allegedly tried to escape the scene, but, due to some fancy police footwork, was immediately captured by the authorities. When questioned, two men denied transporting cargo, however, the police caught them green-handed with the boxes of avocados clearly in the back of the trailer.
In total, police staff counted 3.5 tons of illicit fruit, subsequently placing “Carlos M.” and “Irving B.” aged 24 and 21, respectively, under arrest.
What would you have done with all that avocado? I’m no criminal, but I can imagine a pretty awe-inspiring guacamole spread.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - The push-and-pull between SuperValu and one of its shareholders Blackwells Capital continues. While SuperValu issued a letter this week asking investors to vote for its choice of directors and reject Blackwells’ nominees, Blackwells Capital released its own letter urging investors to try for a fresh slate and elect Blackwell's choice six candidates to SuperValu's Board of Directors with “critical experience in food wholesaling, retail grocer, transportation and logistics, turnaround management, and sustainability.”
“We have lost faith in the current SuperValu Board, but not in SuperValu. Blackwells has attempted to actively engage with the current Board and management in good faith and offered solutions and skills that would help stem the constant decline at SuperValu. Each time our efforts have been rejected, misrepresented, or, in our view, coopted incompetently. The current Board even refuses to sit down, face-to-face, with our highly qualified independent nominees, who offer decades more relevant experience than the current directors,” Jason Aintabi, Managing Partner, said in Blackwells Capital’s letter. “To protect the investment of all shareholders and help SuperValu achieve its full potential, Blackwells has recruited and nominated six extremely talented professionals to the company’s Board. With their extensive industry and public board experience, we are confident these nominees will better set SuperValu’s future course and more effectively oversee it.”
In the letter, the shareholder outlined “strategic and operational failures” it would like to remedy with its Board nominees, including:
- A misguided and unfocused strategy
- Value-destroying deals
- Repeated recruiting failures
- A misaligned culture and compensation system
- A lack of planning and investment in key operational areas
“While the mere prospect of our value-creating plan being implemented has led the stock to rally by more than 40 percent, we do not believe it is wise to entrust the future of SuperValu to the same individuals who have failed for so long to create long-term shareholder value,” Blackwells wrote in its letter. Instead, the shareholder suggests that its own nominees will:
- Create a culture of accountability
- Allocate shareholder capital in an optimal fashion
- Insist upon a performance-driven operational approach that is efficient and sustainable
- Supporting management
- Eliminating conflicts of interest
- Carefully reviewing, and objectively assessing, all avenues of valu creation
To read the letter in its entirety, click here.
With the official vote on the calendar for August 16, 2018, which route will investors take: SuperValu’s or Blackwells Capital? AndNowUKnow will continue to report as the date looms closer.
CHICAGO, IL - It’s no secret that organics are an important avenue for growth in the apple category, and CMI Orchards is responding to consumer demand for with its Daisy Girl Organics™ brand.
I recently had a chance to talk with George Harter, Vice President of Marketing, to learn more about the company’s investment in organics, the branded apples for which it’s known, and a burgeoning cherry season that George says may bring “the best quality [cherries] that have ever come off [growers’] trees.”
“We really want to make sure that people understand how important organics is to us,” George tells me. “The Daisy Girl Organic label is number one in the industry—organic apples.”
Additionally, George notes, the company is highlighting Kiku, Kanzi, Ambrosia, Pacific Rose, Jazz, Envy, and Smitten—high-flavor premium apple varieties that CMI Orchards is known for.
“Our brands…make up 72 percent of the total high-flavor apple category,” George says. And with cherry season just beginning, even more flavorful options are in store for CMI Orchards’ customers. “We’re peaking on Rainier Cherries—the Nature’s Candy brand for us—and also the red cherries. The eating quality is phenomenal. Every one of our growers is saying that the Rainier cherries that are being grown this year are the best quality that have ever come off their trees.”
For more, check out our brief video interview above.