WATSONVILLE, CA - To boost production of the Adelita variety of raspberry, a new crop has been planted by California Giant Berry Farms throughout multiple growing districts throughout central Mexico. The company expects the crop to produce fruit as early as this fall.

California Giant is well-versed in the expansion of its coveted berries, with its domestic- and international-grown strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries having increased over the years to provide year-round availability and meet consumer demands. Prior to this move, the company relied on its spring and summer seasonal program, with its farming operations based in California. Now, with this expansion, fresh raspberries will also join the team of year-round berries that California Giant supplies.

“We are so excited to be planting this new crop in Mexico providing our California Giant customers with promotable raspberry volume that consumers will enjoy beginning this fall and continuing through the winter months coming from our regions here in central Mexico,” Rodrigo Aceves, Director of Operations for California Giant Berry Farms de Mexico, said in a recent press release.

The new crop season is expected to be ready for harvest by mid-September with volume increasing by October. Supply will continue to be produced out of the new growing regions into June of 2019.

“Our growers here are excited and looking forward to the new endeavor,” Aceves said.

This shift will allow the company to provide customers with a cohesive program that will provide them with year-round fresh berries to meet increased demand.

Wanting more details on California Giant’s raspberry program? Visit them at United FreshMKT Expo in Chicago from June 25^th through June 27^th at booth #1236.

California Giant Berry Farms

LEAMINGTON, ONTARIO - Drum roll, please! Ontario kicked off its 11th annual Greenhouse Competition at the Leamington Fair this past weekend, with honors awarded to companies across the region for their innovative and inspiring fresh produce items.

Continuing to climb the ranks within the competitive greenhouse industry, is Double Diamond Farms, whose program shines a light on the progressive and dynamic efforts of the category.

This year, the company took home winning accolades as the Best Hothouse Red Bell Pepper.

“Innovation, flavor, and a passionate approach to the business are always at the forefront for us. Each year we build on our mission to continue to deliver premium, flavorful, hydroponically-grown produce to the North American market by responding to, and anticipating, our customers’ needs and the changing consumer landscape,” President and CEO, Chris Mastronardi, shares with me. “We are proud to accept this award as a testament to our mission and values here at Double Diamond Farms.”

This event is great for the industry, allowing companies to up their game with the opportunity to compete with category competition.

“A little friendly competition also gives us the chance to determine how well we’re doing from a grower standpoint,” Marketing Specialist Graham Hamilton tells me. “We are always on the hunt to find the produce with the most flavor. And we want our branding to be a consistent reflection of the color and the flavor packed into our produce. It’s bright. It’s exciting. It’s unique.”

2018 has been a year of growth and new heights for Double Diamond Farms. With an eye on the horizon, I know that we are excited to see what the team brings to the table next.

Congrats, Double Diamond, on this year’s success!

Double Diamond Farms

TERRA BELLA, CA - I love the taste of pistachios. I love the taste of plums. (I enjoyed two on my lunch today!) Both of these snacks are filling, tasty, and nutritious. So once I heard that Setton Farms was expanding its Pistachio Chewy Bite line with the launch of its Pistachio + Plum variety, I was hooked.

“We are so proud of the new Pistachio + Plum Chewy Bites,” said Setton Farms COO Mia Cohen. “Our team has dedicated countless hours to perfecting the taste, texture, and quality, so we are really excited to get them in the hands of consumers. This third flavor combination will join our popular original cranberry and blueberry varieties, already available in the market. Our family’s passion for pistachios and leadership in the pistachio industry is what drives our dedication to bringing innovative new pistachio snack options to the marketplace.”

The new Pistachio + Plum Chewy Bites are all-natural bite-sized bars packed with over 50 percent California grown pistachios, plums, date nectar and a touch of lemon. Each individually wrapped bite is loaded with protein, fiber, iron, potassium, and antioxidants, which makes them an ideal on-the-go, heart-healthy snack that is both delicious and nutrient dense. The Pistachio Chewy Bites line is available for purchase nationwide at Fairway, Food Emporium, Fry’s, Gordmans, Gourmet Garage, Hudson Airport Shops, Kroger, and WinCo.

Looking for your next snack obsession? Keep following AndNowUKnow for the latest.

Setton Farms

DALLAS, TX - Walmart is trying on a new format for size and braving the realm of convenience. While the retailer is known for its giant brick-and-mortar presence, Walmart is reformatting its Sam’s Club banner to focus on convenience and products from its local community.

“Beyond the convenience and the smaller size, the other key difference will be the assortment of items we offer. This site will carry a limited number of items focused on the community,” Jamie Iannone, CEO of SamsClub.com, wrote in a blog post. “We’ll lean heavily into grocery and fresh food items such as grab-and-go meals, the consumable items members buy most frequently, and services like fast, same-day Club Pickup and delivery options that will help busy families.”

Set to open in Dallas this fall, the new 32,000-square-foot format (a quarter of the size of a regular Sam’s Club) will whittle down Sam’s Club usual product offerings from 6,000 items to 1,000-2,000 items as a means to emphasize its community.

The new store format will also be a hub for testing Walmart’s latest technology, like self-service returns, digital price tags, and Scan & Go.

“This will be smaller than a typical club—which is perfect for testing innovations in a live shopping environment. You can expect to see a new level of convenience at this facility, and the technologies we use will continue to evolve,” Iannone continued.

Will Walmart test success with its new Sam’s Club format and resize additional stores? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.

Walmart Sam's Club

SALINAS, CA - All eyes have been turned to the historic Singapore Summit, with President Trump and Kim Jong Un’s every move being watched by the world, including the food the two figures are partaking in. The New York Post reported the lunch menu for one of the biggest political summits in modern history included side dishes like potato dauphinois, fried rice, Asian vegetables, and steamed Broccolini.

“The fact that Broccolini was included on the lunch menu for the Singapore Summit speaks to the versatility of the vegetable and how commonly it is used at fine dining and catering events globally,” Rick Russo, VP Sales, Marketing & Product Management for Broccolini namer Mann Packing tells me. “Its unique slender stalk and light, loosely beaded heads make for an elegant presence on the plate, along with its sweet flavor. In spite of the knock-offs, Broccolini is one of the true ‘signature’ vegetables out there. You can identify it by name and/or appearance, and it’s perfect for any table."

Now coming up on its 20th anniversary, the white tablecloth plate is where Broccolini began its burgeoning fame.

When introducing the new vegetable 20 years ago, Mann Packing said the strategy began with the foodservice market—chefs at white tablecloth restaurants who could not only afford it, but also bring a level of creativity to using it that the average consumer couldn't, according to the company’s blog.

And like this week’s media buzz, the product’s introduction saw a whirlwind of demonstrations at food shows, even coveted spots on Good Morning America and in The New York Times, Harper’s, and The Washington Post, among many others.

And Trump and Kim are not the only noted names that Broccolini has been a chosen treat for, Rick tells me.

“There is a scene in the movie Angel Eyes, starring Jennifer Lopez, where a character brings home groceries, to which his mom replies ‘ahhhh you brought me Broccolini,’” he smiles. “It was also used on Top Chef where a contestant was eliminated because he ‘burnt the Broccolini.’”

The product remained true to its pledge as “the vegetable to make you love vegetables,” and now Mann Packing and its parent company Del Monte Fresh are planning a celebration worthy of it for its 20th birthday.

“In honor of Broccolini’s 20th birthday, we have multiple events planned throughout the fall, including a bash in New York with executives from Mann’s and Sakata Seed in September,” Rick shares. “Media, influencers, and chefs will be in attendance to learn about the history of the product and the innovations that have followed. A Broccolini menu will be served, and we even have a Broccolini-themed birthday cake in the works.”

Now that’s something I’m thinking I—I mean our industry—shouldn’t be missing out on. And who knows what kind of VIPs might turn up?

Mann Packing

LOS ANGELES, CA - According to data provided by market research firm IRI, The Wonderful Company is among the top growth leaders for multibillion-dollar consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, as well as among the top growth leaders in produce in 2017. In addition, a study released today by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and IRI—which measures growth across all CPG categories—positions Wonderful as one of the top growth leaders amongst midsize companies in the U.S. ($1 billion - $5.5 billion in retail sales).

“More than half of U.S. households already buy a Wonderful product each year, and IRI data in accordance with this study clearly demonstrates that our healthy offerings are resonating with consumers,” said Adam Cooper, Vice President of Marketing. “The Wonderful Company is relentlessly focused on driving healthier eating options. Over the past 10 years, we’ve invested more than $3 billion in capital and $1 billion in marketing and brand building. With these investments, and consumers increasingly seeking nutritious choices, Wonderful is poised for even more growth in the future.”

Taking a closer look at the IRI data reveals that Wonderful ranks in the top five for adding dollars to the entire CPG industry. The company also accounted for five percent of all CPG growth. The company noted that as it was the only multibillion-dollar company with double-digit growth—at 13 percent—part of Wonderful’s success is the popularity of convenient nutrition and wellness products.

The BCG report also noted that Wonderful and a handful of other CPG leaders were able to escape the trend of declining sales experienced by most midsize and large companies. According to the report, Wonderful did so by developing differentiated offerings for their core audience, targeting consumers with greater precision, and relying on inorganic as well as organic growth to bolster its portfolios and facilitate expansion into new markets.

The report’s findings were based on the growth performance of more than 400 CPG companies with annual U.S. retail sales exceeding $100 million. The analysis, which covered both public and private companies, focused on what consumers actually buy in measured channels, as opposed to what factories ship. For further information on the report, click here. 

The Wonderful Company

ROCHESTER, NY - We all have our favorite places to grocery shop—as a Sacramentan, born and raised, Raley’s is where it’s at. But on a national scale, America’s sweetheart Wegmans has captured consumers’ hearts. For the third consecutive year, consumers voted for Wegmans as their favorite American grocery chain, according to Business Insider. While the retailer tied with Publix last year, Wegmans nabbed the top spot for itself this year, pulling ahead of all of the competition, including massive rivals like Walmart, Target, and Whole Foods Market.

Consumer insights firm Market Force Information surveyed over 12,700 consumers, asking survey-takers to rate their favorite U.S. grocery chains off of characteristics like best value, fastest service, cleanliness, customer satisfaction, and likelihood of recommending the store to others.

And, like years past, reigning champ Wegmans once again earned high marks thanks to its specialty department services, including its deli, coffee shop, and bakery, as well as its ready-to-eat section and wide product variety, boasting up to 70,000 products (according to Business Insider, the typical store has around 40,000). 

The full list of winners included:

1. Wegmans
2. Publix
3. Trader Joe’s
4. Aldi
5. H-E-B
6. Fry’s
7. WinCO Foods
8. Costco
9. Harris Teeter
10. Sam’s Club
11. Whole Foods Market
12. Hy-Vee Food Stores
13. Kroger
14. Food Lion
15. Shop Rite
16. Meijer
17. Winn-Dixie Stores
18. Target
19. Stop & Shop
20. Giant Food Stores
21. Safeway
22. Walmart

Congratulations, Wegmans, on another win! To stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the realm of grocery, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.

Wegmans

PASADENA, CA - It’s the season of importing and exporting citrus, and as a means to continue to bolster its 30-plus years of global exporting experience and continue to build its overseas relationships, Sun Pacific is expanding its export sales team. Specifically, Sun Pacific has added Brian Autenrieth as Director of Export Sales to its team and promoted Chris Srisinthorn to Export Sales Manager.

“Sun Pacific citrus, kiwi, and grapes continue to grow in brand equity and popularity worldwide,” said President Barney Evans. “We are the largest independent grower/packer/shipper of citrus in the Unites States, and our export program has thrived based on high levels of both quality and service. With the addition of Brian and the promotion of Chris, our export program will expand our portfolio to include our new Air Chief proprietary grape varieties and exploration of exporting our organic grapes to Asia. Our new export team has the knowledge, training, and relationships to deliver superior customer service to all our trading partners overseas.”

Hailing from a family with three-generations in fresh fruit exports, Autenrieth is returning to the Sun Pacific team after a brief stint with a startup air freight forwarding company. As he returns to Sun Pacific, he is reconnecting with the export customers he formed good relationships with a few years ago.

Srisinthorn has been with Sun Pacific for 12 years as the Operations Manager for Sales, and in his new position will work closely with Autenrieth on the logistics side of the program, managing day-to-day operations, maximizing shipping containers to meet customer’s needs, and working with the company’s partners to promote Air Chief®, PureSpect®, and Vintage Sweet® labels, according to a press release.

Congratulations to Brian Autenrieth and Chris Srisinthorn on their new positions! For more of the latest happenings throughout our industry, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

Sun Pacific