WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) against Northwest Produce LLC (Northwest).
According to a press release, the company, operating from Idaho, allegedly failed to make payment to 11 produce sellers in the amount of $85,054 from July 2015 through June 2017.
Northwest will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry for two years. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for one year and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
The PACA Division, which is in the Fair Trade Practices Program in the Agricultural Marketing Service, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to PACA, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,400 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. PACA staff also assisted more than 8,500 callers with issues valued at approximately $151 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
BENTONVILLE, AR - Walmart is adding a few rare drops of girl power into its executive pool this summer, naming women to both its U.S. Chief Customer Officer and Chief Marketing Officer roles. According to an internal memo shared by CEO Greg Foran and U.S. E-Commerce CEO Marc Lore, the retail giant has chosen Janey Whiteside and Barbara Messing to fill its newly created Chief Customer Officer role and its CMO role, respectively.
“I’m so excited to be joining Walmart and its awesome, talented team,” Whiteside posted on LinkedIn. “Retail is going through immense change and it’s an incredible time in the industry. If there is anything I have learned in my more than 20 years with American Express it’s that creating an end-to-end experience for customers is paramount. This new role is a step change for Walmart and it reflects the company’s passion for keeping the customer at the center of everything it does. As (Walmart U.S. CEO) Greg Foran and (E-Commerce CEO) Marc Lore put it, ‘we know when we put customers first, we win.’”
Whiteside will begin her work with Walmart on August 1st and be based in Hoboken, NJ, site of Walmart's Jet.com unit, according to a report by AdAge. Prior to having spent the past two decades at American Express, Whiteside was most recently Executive Vice President and General Manager of Global Premium Products and Benefits after holding many other positions of increasing responsibility in marketing, business development, and other departments.
Messing will join Whiteside at Walmart as CMO in mid-August, the source continued. In her current role as CMO of TripAdvisor, Messing helped lead her team to transition the company from a media-only site into a trip-booking e-commerce player. Soon to be based at Walmart's Bentonville, AR, headquarters, Messing will lead marketing for both Walmart stores and its e-commerce operations.
In the memo, Foran and Lore noted that Whiteside will “play a critical role looking after our brand and thinking through the customer journey—from acquiring new customers to their shopping experience and resolving any issues they may have.”
How will Whiteside and Messing help to shape Walmart going forward? AndNowUKnow will keep our eyes on these powerhouse women as they continue to make moves.
HOUSTON, TX - It’s a no-brainer that athletes stand as an influential pillar for a healthy lifestyle, holding an influential role for a broad consumer base and being associated by default with fitness.
The Ricky Davis Legacy Foundation is a non-profit organization established and founded by NBA star and 13-year veteran of professional athletics Ricky Davis. The celebrated athlete is using his span with several NBA teams to give back, and his latest move was to team up with Brothers Produce in Houston, Texas, to hand fresh produce and groceries out to the homeless.
“The foundation is really big on nutrition, so that’s why we hooked up with Brothers Produce to get them the fresh fruits and fresh vegetables they don’t get every day,” Davis told Fox 26 Houston in a video interview, expressing surprise and sympathy for how many people do not get the fresh produce they need.
At a time when movements like FNV, Produce for Kids, and more are looking to sway children towards picking fresh produce, Brothers Produce CEO Brent Erenwert told me he is hoping to see other produce people reach out to a demographic already won by our industry but without the means to enjoy it.
“The Ricky Davis Legacy Foundation approached me because of work Brothers Produce has done like this locally, and I would love to see more of our industry get involved,” Brent shared, calling it an eye-opening experience that made all the work to organize the event well worth it. “Much like when we were hit by Hurricane Harvey and everyone came together it would be wonderful to see us side by side, competitor or ally, friend or foe, to do something really good.”
Brent shares that the team is packing plastic bags with various produce items such as apples, bananas, berries, grapes, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, and plums before adding various toiletries like deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. A GoFundMe can be found here.
“We then use a refrigerated produce truck to drive to about four to five areas in each city, handing out these care packs as well as cold water sports hydrating beverages,” he explains. “There will be news coverage in each city, as well as NBA players helping assist with handing out and packing of the bags.”
Ways to donate or help include providing product, services, volunteering, and/or donations towards the goods.
“Every little bit helps and together as an industry, united, we can make a difference in so many people’s lives,” Brent concludes.
Brothers Produce and the Ricky Davis Legacy Foundation are continuing to make an impact through fresh produce across the nation, with upcoming grocery giveaways slated for San Francisco, Detroit, Miami, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, and New York City, based on the Big 3 basketball league tour, owned by rapper Ice Cube.
“Using several of my distribution partners, growers, and vendors in the various cities, I plan on personally traveling to as many of these areas as I can. I want to more than coordinate this, I want hands on with this project and help as many as I can,” Brent shares. “At the end of our journey I plan on creating a montage to thank all those involved and share our voyage. I hope that through this we can as an industry do more and more projects like this.”
Please contact Brent Erenwert to donate or learn how to get involved.
WATSONVILLE, CA - What’s a barbecue without grilled mushrooms? Once they're cooked to perfection on the grill, these veggies make every cookout a dream. As we get further into summer, grilling season takes hold and Monterey Mushrooms knows that mushrooms are a barbecue staple. To drive home its focus on summer cooking, the company is launching a Summertime BBQ Sweepstakes, beginning July 2 and running through September 3.
“
Mushrooms are a healthy addition to summer recipes and a sweepstakes is a great way to educate shoppers that mushrooms can be grilled alongside their other favorite veggies to barbecue,” said Lindsey Roberts, Company Marketing Manager.
The sweepstakes gives shoppers the chance to win a grand prize that includes a portable gas grill and a picnic time cooler tote kit, along with picnic accessories. Ten second prize winners will receive barbecue tool kits and ten third prize winners will get Monterey Mushroom-branded blanket totes. No purchase is necessary to enter or win. For full rules on how your customers can enter, click here.
The goal is to raise shopper awareness about the versatility of mushrooms as an ingredient for grilling recipes. The company even created a Mushroom Grilling Guide as part of the promotion.
“Mushrooms have a great story to tell: They are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, and very low in sodium yet they provide important nutrients including selenium, potassium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin D, dietary fiber and more,” Roberts stated in a company press release. “We look forward to tracking the impact of this promotion on our sales overall.”
This is the company’s first time offering a consumer sweepstakes and it will promote the contest online and through social media channels.
Certainly makes me want to start grilling!
CHICAGO, IL - While I was in the Windy City last week, it was the produce industry’s out-of-the-box thinking and attention to detail that truly blew me away. As someone who has spent most of her time as a consumer, getting a peek behind the curtain at how our industry is pouring energy into ensuring consumers have a fun, delicious, and meaningful experience in the produce aisle was everything. There were lots of products that stood out, but here are some of my favorites from the floor of this year’s United Fresh…
Mucci Farms CuteCumber™ Poppers
The party doesn’t start until you walk in with Mucci Farms CuteCumber™ Poppers. After upping the packaging stakes, the CuteCumber Poppers are not only the perfect party trick for consumers—voila, they've brought tiny, adorable cucumbers sure to wow all partygoers—but also the perfect party snack that is convenient for all involved. Slicing and dicing are activities of the past thanks to the smaller, pop-in-your-mouth veg size. And with tray-in-a-tray packaging that includes dip, there’s no need for consumers to heft around bowls and plates. Put these front and center in produce deparments; Mucci Farms CuteCumber Poppers can do it all.
Fox Packaging™ Stand-Up Combo® Bag
I’m a sucker for sustainable. If companies are going the extra mile, I’m here for it. Fox Packaging recently upgraded its stand-up pouch bag with Mother Earth in mind. Now available in a recyclable alternative, the Stand-Up Combo Bag is a beaut sure to catch consumers’ eyes—it definitely caught mine. Constructed from a combination of poly and mesh, which allows the fruit inside to breathe, the Stand-Up Combo Bag features perks like a flat bottom, ample printing space, and a zip close, all of which keep convenience and function at the top of mind.
Stemilt Growers Rave™ Apples
After debuting in fall of 2017, Stemilt Growers’ Rave apples are making waves in the produce aisle and crowd-surfing their way into grocery carts everywhere. Touting features like “outrageously juicy” and with a “refreshing snappy zing,” this apple isn’t for the faint of heart and has a powerful flavor profile capable of awakening the senses to a deeper apple experience. There’s a reason so many including myself are raving about this apple, so take a bite and join the party.
Chelan Fresh Orondo Ruby Cherries
Maybe it’s vain of me or maybe it’s just not that deep: sometimes I like what I like because it’s pretty, and I must say, Chelan Fresh’s Orondo Ruby Cherries are dang pretty. With vibrant red and yellow coloring, I almost didn’t want to pop an Orondo Ruby cherry into my mouth, but was almost tempted to wear them as a fashion statement instead. But that was before I bit into one. A delicious summer cherry—crisp, juicy, and bright—the Orondo Ruby Cherries stand out from the bunch for a reason, as most gems do.
Cece’s™ Veggie Co. Riced Organic Broccoli
Plant-based alternatives are where it’s at these days, and Cece’s Veggie Co. is throwing its hat into the ring with its riced organic broccoli product. With clean packaging that features the USDA organic logo, easy instructions like 6-8 minutes to sauté, and a peek into the product inside, I can see consumers stocking up on this by the boatload. As a vegetarian, I always trying to convince my carnivorous friends you can’t go wrong with some more greens in your life, Cece’s has my best super sleuth cooking intentions at heart.
Until next time, United Fresh!
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) against Paradise Produce LLC.
According to a press release, the company, operating from Nevada, allegedly failed to make payment to 32 produce sellers in the amount of $694,922 from February 2017 through November 2017.
Paradise Produce LLC will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry for two years. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for one year and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
The PACA Division, which is in the Fair Trade Practices Program in the Agricultural Marketing Service, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to PACA, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,400 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. PACA staff also assisted more than 8,500 callers with issues valued at approximately $151 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
TEMPLE, PA - Imagine this: you’re about 5 hours into your road trip, you’ve listened to your favorite Beyoncé album about 12 times, you’ve eaten all your healthy snacks, you’ve drank every last bottle of water in the cooler, and you realize—you have a mighty craving for some salty, savory jerky. Here to answer the siren call of that typically-meaty treat without compromising your veggie-loving lifestyle is mushroom magnate Giorgio Foods, with its new Savory Wild™ Portabella Jerky.
“Giorgio has a firm commitment to lead the category with innovative products,” explained Brian Loiseau, SVP Sales, Business Development, and R&D, about the creation of the company’s latest unique offering. “We are actively investing in R&D and consumer insights to bring new ways for consumers to enjoy the nutritious and delicious benefits of umami-packed mushrooms.”
A plant-based, healthy snacking solution in the on-trend jerky category, Savory Wild is vegan-friendly and comes in the following unique flavors:
- Roasted Garlic & Black Pepper
- Sweet Balsamic & Golden Fig
- Sesame, Ginger & Korean Chili
The new handcrafted Portabella Jerky is packed full of over half a pound of mushrooms in every bag and is shelf-stable for 12 months, according to a press release. Giorgio Foods touts the product’s savory umami flavor, whole food ingredients, as well as its distinction as naturally-gluten-free, low calorie, and low fat as top reasons consumers will be going wild to get their hands on the jerky. And all this is not to mention that the jerky is packed with antioxidant-rich mineral Selenium.
We in the produce industry know that plant-based protein is one of the latest trends to hit the market in recent years, and Giorgio Foods has been hard at work to position mushrooms as one produce item that can satisfy that desire. Whether because of the nutritional aspects, ethical or environmental reasons, or emerging lifestyles that call for cutting out animal-based foods, consumers can find a remedy in Savory Wild Portabella Jerky.
Anyone game for a road trip and about 100 bags of these guys? I’ll bring the Beyoncé albums.
FOWLER, CA - Few things satisfy thirst like freshly squeezed lemonade or a bite into a juicy orange or mandarin. Bee Sweet Citrus is celebrating the availability of its summer citrus varieties throughout the season’s festivities.
“With the 4th of July holiday right around the corner, families are looking for healthy, tasty snacks to provide to their children during their holiday celebrations,” stated Bee Sweet Citrus Director of Communications Monique Bienvenue. “Citrus fruits, such as lemons, mandarins, and oranges, are extremely versatile and are perfect for summer barbeques and other seasonal gatherings.”
Easy to use in a variety of ways, multipurpose lemons, mandarins, and oranges are cholesterol and fat-free, according to a press release. The latter two make for great toppings on parfaits and salads, and the former makes for a refreshing salad dressing. Citrus fruits are an easy addition to main entrees, fruit salads, and so many other dishes needing a crisp flavor or some added zest.
“If parents are looking for healthy alternatives to junk food, there are many citrus-themed recipes they can try that are not only healthy, but incredibly tasty too,” Bienvenue continued. “On a hot summer day, they can indulge in iced tea with lemon infused ice cubes, or even top a parfait with a few mandarin segments. The opportunities are limitless!”
The healthy snacks, with less than 50 calories per serving for all three types of citrus, offer Vitamin C and fiber and are a great addition to fun weekends at home or away on holiday.
Wanting more details on how you can get your hands on Bee Sweet’s summer citrus? Check out the company’s website: www.beesweetcitrus.com.
Looking for the inside scoop on the produce industry’s latest happenings? Stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
SOUTH KOREA - Despite Starbucks churning out new drink ideas of late like the Unicorn Frappuccino, Mango Dragonfruit Refresher, Strawberry Very Much Frappuccino, and more, nothing has been able to decrown the Pumpkin Spice Latte as the cornerstone of seasonal sensations. But honestly, the PSL might meet its match with the ABF. Grab your passports, summer officially means a trip to South Korea to get our hands on Starbucks’ seasonal menu item, the Avocado Blended Frappuccino.
The Starbucks Korea website describes the drink with this note: “Find the best way to enjoy the most trendy fruit of avocado in Starbucks! The visuals that seem to enjoy the whole avocado are fun to see.”
While the Avocado Blended—a take on Starbucks’ classic Frappuccino—is not a new item since it first hit South Korea’s coffee market in 2015, the drink didn’t start serving looks until this season, with the coffee chain recently giving it a makeover for its June 26 relaunch. Now, the Avocado Blended actually resembles its namesake, with a dark green circle around the rim—an homage to the peel—and a chocolate ball acting as a faux pit.
According to Bustle, the Avocado Blended is only available in South Korea locations, so I will be circulating an online petition to bring the Avocado Blended to the States—keep your eyes peeled!
For more ways companies are mimicking the looks and flavors of fresh produce, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Foodservice news in our own backyard? It’s a good day for us writers here at AndNowUKnow. The latest update in foodservice announcements comes from US Foods, who, according to Sacramento Business Journal, was awarded a California Competes Tax Credit to develop a center at McClellan Park. But will the company go through with plans suggested back in 2011 and file with Sacramento County for the proposed $71.6 million distribution center?
US Foods' Director of Media Relations and Issues Management, Sara Matheu, said in an email to Sacramento Business Journal that while the company has been approved for the credit, it has not yet decided whether it will proceed.
“Yes, the state has provided US Foods with an incentive proposal should we decide to expand within the state at a point in the future," Matheu stated. “However, we have not made any commitments at this time. It’s simply too soon to speculate.”
Since 2011, US Foods has owned about 35 acres on the west side of the former Air Force base, and planned to develop a 500,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center. Before the company started the project, it was bought out by its largest competitor, Sysco, and the McClellan site remained undeveloped. However, the Sysco deal collapsed in 2015, after the Federal Trade Commission expressed concerns that the merger would limit competition and violate antitrust laws, but US Foods still hasn’t submitted plans for the center to Sacramento County.
In its application, US Foods said it would spend $71.6 million on the project at McClellan and create 216 jobs. The company would receive the $7 million tax credit over five years while it met hiring and spending milestones.
According to the publication, the California Competes Tax Credit is one of the state’s only economic development incentives. In the latest round of applications, roughly 259 companies applied for the credit, of which only 29 were awarded, according to Sam Chiu, Spokesman for the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
Will US Foods develop this new center? Will plans fall through? AndNowUKnow will stay on the case and make sure you know the latest details.