WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on three produce businesses for failure to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
According to a press release, the following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
- Liaison Can./US Logistics (USA) Corp., doing business as Can./US Fresh, operating out of Miami, Florida, for failing to pay an $81,340 award in favor of a Florida seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Yves D’Amours, Maria Deluca, Dino Deluca, and Tony Galuppo were listed as the officers, directors and/or major stockholders of the business.
- Atlanta Tomato LLC, operating out of Forest Park, Georgia, for failing to pay a $23,702 award in favor of a Florida seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Timmy S. Adams was listed as a member of the business.
- Maya Fresh LLC, operating out of Forest Park, Georgia, for failing to pay an $11,380 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Doris E. Martinez was listed as a member of the business.
PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions; this may result in a reparation order being issued that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. USDA is required to suspend the license or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.
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.
BRAZIL - Walmart announced that Advent International, global private equity investor, has agreed to invest in a majority stake in Walmart Brazil. Under the terms of the agreement, Advent will hold 80 percent of Walmart Brazil, and Walmart will retain the remaining 20 percent upon the completion of the transaction.
“Walmart is committed to building strong, resilient businesses that continuously adapt to local customers’ needs in a rapidly changing world,” said Enrique Ostale, EVP and CEO of Walmart UK, Latin America, and Africa, in a recent press release. “We will retain a stake in Walmart Brazil and continue to share our global retail expertise, giving our Brazil business the best opportunity for long-term growth, providing opportunities for associates and low prices for customers.”
According to a report from Forbes, Walmart has made several bets in markets in which it feels it will succeed. But after almost 20 years of operating in Brazil, the company had not come any closer to solving the Brazilian market. Eduardo Yamashita, Managing Director of GS & Intelligence, suggested to Forbes, that this was perhaps due to international and local competition or Walmart’s struggles to properly localize their business to meet the needs of a diverse Brazilian population.
Walmart noted that the move stemmed from its aspiration to strengthen the business and position it for long term success. The decision to partner with Advent in Brazil resulted from a deliberate review of Walmart’s international portfolio.
“We have been in Brazil for over 20 years and are excited about this partnership with one of the country's leading retailers,” said Patrice Etlin, a Managing Partner at Advent International in Brazil. “We believe that with our local market knowledge and retail expertise we can position the company to generate significant results and reach new levels of success in Brazil. We plan to invest in the business, work with the Walmart Brazil management team, associates, Walmart, and our industry advisors to create a more agile and modern company to accelerate its development and improve the customer experience.”
Walmart expects to record a non-cash, net loss of approximately $4.5 billion as a discrete item in the second quarter, a significant portion that it attributes to the recognition of cumulative currency fluctuation losses.
How will this move play out for Walmart's international operations? Keep following AndNowUKnow for the latest.
DUBLIN, OH - Wendy’s is turning to vine-ripened tomato varieties from greenhouses for its over 6,000 North American locations. This transition will boost efforts to keep up with the growing demand for fresh ingredients from fast-food chains.
These greenhouse-grown tomatoes are typically plucked from the vine when they are still a bit green, and transported under cool conditions to protect from spoiling and bruising, then—BOOM—ripe varieties make their way into Wendy’s locations at best ripeness.
“We've always been committed to providing customers with fresh, high-quality food. From our fresh never frozen beef, to creating the first salad bar in the QSR space, to hand-chopping produce in our restaurants daily, this newest initiative to source vine-ripened tomatoes from greenhouse farms is the latest way we're delivering on that commitment,” Wendy's Chief Communications Officer Liliana Esposito said, according to a press release.
This transition moves production from Mexico into U.S.-positioned greenhouses, with the restaurant chain hoping to provide fresher ingredients using controlled greenhouse settings, and the new tomatoes will be making their way into Wendy’s sandwiches and salads by early 2019.
There has been much competition between restaurant chains on how to bring fresh produce while sticking with low prices. According to a Wall Street Journal article, McDonald’s first quarter sales rose 2.9 percent, though they are lower than expected, while Burger King’s sales rose 4.2 percent during its first quarter.
With interest in consistent, protected supply, the restaurant chain has turned to 12 greenhouse growers to supply its locations with the tomatoes it needs. These greenhouses are spread throughout North America—including the West Coast, Pacific Northwest, Southeast and Great Lakes regions of the United States; Eastern and Western Canada; and Mexico. This shift will boost the agricultural industry in the greenhouses' regions and the economies that they impact, the press release shares.
"We're making this change for a variety of reasons that will benefit our customers, but taste and quality are the top factors and we are excited about the superior flavors we can achieve with this change," Wendy's Senior Vice President of Quality Assurance Dennis Hecker, expressed. "Additionally, greenhouse farms provide supply predictability and quality assurance benefits—including continuity of supply; protection of crops from harsh weather; safe, indoor growing conditions; and a significant reduction of chemical pesticides used on the plants.
This isn’t the first time that the company has been looking to fresh for creative ways to provide customers with incredible meals—it also launched summer salads featuring fresh berries.
How will Wendy’s latest step into greenhouse-grown produce encourage the rest of the industry? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated.
WENATCHEE, WA - Summer is in the air, which means we’re almost just one season away from apple season! And, after a successful spring bloom, SweeTango apple growers are sharing a positive forecast for the 2018 crop.
“Weather-wise, we had a moderate winter followed by a mix of warm and cool weather in the spring,” Stemilt Growers’ Communications Manager Brianna Shales said, noting that SweeTango orchards in Washington State enjoyed a classic “snowball” bloom that has since set very well. “Volume is expected to be comparable to last season, but with an increased percentage of organic now that one of our orchards has completed the three-year transition phase to organic.”
Orchards throughout the U.S. and Canada are reporting healthy fruit sizes that are estimated to be slightly larger than the 2017 crop. And, harvest is expected to be on-time for this early season apple variety, which will kick off mid-August in the Western region and move east in the following weeks.
“We anticipate the SweeTango yield to be good this season, as the bloom was above normal, and the bees have been busy at work pollinating over the last few weeks,” Fowler Farms’ VP of Sales and Marketing David Williams said, remarking that the Eastern region experienced ideal winter and spring weather. “We are on track for normal harvest timing for big, beautiful, and flavorful SweeTango apples.”
For the Midwestern growing region, Pepin Heights Orchards’ Director of Operations Chet Miller reported, “Midwest growers’ orchards went from snowfall to snowball blossoms in about a month; it was pretty incredible to watch. Thanks to good bloom weather, the bees got their job done and we set a good crop. Hold on, SweeTango fans, we will have more apples soon!”
In Nova Scotia, Canada, the long winter was followed by a cool spring that provided great growing conditions for the bloom.
“Things are moving along nicely and we’re expecting the largest SweeTango crop we’ve ever had. The forecast is calling for above seasonal temperatures throughout the summer in our region, which will help in bringing us good size and color again this year,” said Dennis MacPherson, Director of Sales for Scotian Gold.
According to a press release, Nielsen retail scan data ranked SweeTango as the top selling club variety during peak season, September to November 2017, which makes it not only a favorite for retailers, but a variety that consumers adore thanks to its sweet flavor, lively touches of citrus, honey, and spice, and a loud crunch that is followed by a satisfying burst of juice.
Retailers are encouraged to discuss opportunities for this in-demand variety with regional sales representatives, who can be found here. And for more of the latest produce news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on five produce businesses for failure to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
According to a press release, the following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
- Guadalupe Guerrero, doing business as Lupe Produce, operating out of Los Angeles, California, for failing to pay a $2,600 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Guadalupe Guerrero was listed as the sole proprietor of the business.
- Primera Avocados LLC, operating out of Camarillo, California, for failing to pay a $106,880 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Evelyn Hernandez was listed as member of the business.
- Chispis Produce Inc., operating out of Chicago, Illinois, for failing to pay a $5,212 award in favor of an Illinois seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Juan Pablo Ojeda was listed as the officer, director and major stockholder of the business.
- Houston International Produce Inc., operating out of Houston, Texas, for failing to pay a $7,838 award in favor of an Idaho seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Jose A. Turcisos Gonzalez was listed as the officer, director and major stockholder of the business.
- East Coast Impex LLC, operating out of Manassas, Virginia, for failing to pay a $23,520 award in favor of a Virginia seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Srinivas Sathyavedu Kalyan was listed as a member of the business.
PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions; this may result in a reparation order being issued that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. USDA is required to suspend the license or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors or major stockholders may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.
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.
BIRMINGHAM, AL - I, like many millennials, have spent many a night in front of my fridge unsure of what to make for dinner. There’s just too many options (or too little, depending on how grocery shopping went) and I’m usually guilty of always missing a couple of ingredients. Streamlining grocery shopping and home cooking for consumers, eMeals is innovating meal kits and partnering with retailers to make its top-notch product even more convenient in the crowded meal kit market.
I caught up with eMeals’ CEO Forrest Collier to learn more about the concept the company is simplifying to improve consumers’ inspiration, shopping, and cooking experience.
“eMeals is America’s leading digital meal planning solution and a player in the meal kit market,” Forrest tells me. “Each week, eMeals provides easy-to-follow recipes and a one-click shopping list that optionally connects to online grocery pickup and delivery partners. eMeals provides the same kind of convenience as the traditional meal kit providers, but by integrating with existing grocery ecosystems, we’re able to help customers cook healthy meals at half the food cost per serving.”
Pulling from a database of tens of thousands of recipes created by the eMeals food team over the last decade, the company offers subscribers the choice of 15 food style plans tailored to different dietary goals and eating preferences, including paleo, clean eating, low-carb, vegan, and gluten-free diets. eMeals publishes new recipes each week, so consumers won’t have the problem of eating the same food every week.
eMeals also partners with retailers, something that differentiates the company from other meal kit providers and serves as a symbiotic relationship between the company and retail. For subscribers, eMeals’ app automatically creates a shopping list for the selected dinners, and depending on preference, can then be self-shopped or selected for pickup or delivery by one of its retail partners. For retailers, eMeals helps retailers bolster variety, flexibility, and affordability for shoppers.
“We provide over 10 times the choice and flexibility given our wide range of dedicated food style plans. Instead of recreating the grocery supply chain, eMeals has integrated our grocery list with pickup and delivery partners including Walmart, Kroger, Instacart, and AmazonFresh, in order to help our customers enjoy affordable recipes that fit their specific goals with groceries from their preferred local grocery store,” Forrest explains.
Merging the convenience of online grocery with trusted recipe content, eMeals is offering a unique value proposition and, as a result, is preparing to continue to grow with the $100 billion meal kit business by staying on the lookout for new partnerships with media companies, grocery retailers, and food brands.
For more on who’s changing the game of convenience and innovation in the produce industry, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
GUATEMALA - More that 3,200 people have been evacuated and the devastating affects of the eruption of Mount Fuego—some 30 miles southwest of Guatemala City—continue to be assessed after Sunday’s explosive seismic event.
"It is too early to know the full extent of the damage," said Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales, in a statement. And, as rescue workers sought survivors in the pale gray just miles from his presidential palace in the capital, Morales added that it is a time for Guatemalans to come together in ‘unity, prayer and solidarity.’"
The Fuego Volcano’s eruption occurred midday this Sunday, according to a report from NPR, and lasted more than 16 hours, spewing what the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) described as a pyroclastic flow—“a high-density mix of hot lava blocks, pumice, ash and volcanic gas.” Resembling avalanches of ash and lava, pyroclastic flows can travel at 50 mph, reach temperatures of 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit, and can “knock down, shatter, bury or carry away nearly all objects and structures in their path.”
Guatamala’s Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres (CONRED) has reported that as many as 1.7 million people have been affected, and CNN reported that the eruption was visible from space, spewing ash six miles into the air—and forcing the closure of the country's international airport.
Though the airport has subsequently been reopened, damage to an already lacking infrastructure may have exacerbated the emergency, and may result in protracted challenges to surrounding growing regions.
Guatemala usually exports mangos, as well as sugar snap and snow peas through this time of year, starting into blackberries later in the summer, among other fruits and produce items. Any effects this tragedy might have had on our industry have yet to be reported.
AndNowUKnow will continue to provide updates on important news affecting fresh produce.
LOS ANGELES, CA – Dulcinea Farms™, part of Pacific Trellis Fruit, announced a new PLU for its Yellow Mini Seedless Watermelons. The company hopes this new PLU will help improve sales tracking for the entire melon category—or at the very least those who sell the yellow mini seedless variety.
“This is really rooted in a shortcoming we identified over the past year—specifically, the inability to differentiate and track sales between full size yellow seedless watermelons and our SunnyGold® Yellow Mini Seedless watermelons, due to the fact there was previously only one PLU issued for all yellow seedless watermelons,” stated Josh Leichter, General Manager, in a recent press release. “It was a source of frustration for us as well as for some retailers we’re working with.”
The new PLU (3494) resolves this issue by allowing retailers to track sales of Yellow Mini Seedless Watermelons separate from sales of Yellow Full Size Seedless Watermelon, which will continue under the existing PLU (4341).
The PLU was reviewed during a recent meeting of the International Federation of Produce Standards (IFPS). The approval is confirmed as of May 11, 2018 and is part of IFPS’ searchable PLU Database.
For the latest in fresh produce news, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
CITRUSDAL, SOUTH AFRICA - Snacking citrus is hot hot hot this summer thanks to Summer Citrus from South Africa’s (SCSA) latest consumer-focused marketing endeavor, the Sweet Summer Sweepstakes. Not only is SCSA offering millennial shoppers the chance to win one of three $1,000 Visa Gift Cards, SCSA is also filling June and July with sweet memories by providing families with inspirational and educational content to keep healthy eating a top priority during the summer months.
“Each year that we host a consumer promotion during our peak-of-season, we learn more and more about our target shopper and their preferences around summer citrus which in turn, helps us meet their needs more specifically,” said CEO Suhanra Conradie. “This year, our goal is to attract and connect with millennial families with young children so that we may serve as a snacking solution for their fun summer activities and help them make memories that will last a lifetime.”
According to a press release, fruits like oranges and easy-to-peel clementines are dominating the majority of snacking dollars, and summer is an optimal time for brands like SCSA to appeal to shoppers seeking flavor, quality, and value in their citrus products.
Taking into specific demographic requirements like age, number of children in the household, and geography, SCSA is catering its latest consumer promotion with targeted online advertising to drive foot traffic to participating retailers. SCSA is also partnering with millennial influencers like Chrissa Benson from Physical Kitchness and Dianna Muscari from The Kitchen Prep as a means to boost demand and raise brand awareness with a wider range of consumers.
After kicking off last week on June 1, SCSA’s Sweet Summer Sweepstakes runs through July 31. To find out more about this sweet consumer promotion, or to learn more about the fresh citrus available to North American consumers during the summer thanks to Summer Citrus from South Africa, visit www.summercitrus.com.
CINCINNATI, OH - Summer is not the only thing heating up this June. Food trends sparking some major excitement are lighting up produce aisles from sea to shining sea. Kroger has announced what it expects will be the top food trends, chosen by the retailer's new product developers, chefs, and innovators.
Here is the list of top picks this summer:
Waste-Free Meals and Libations:
Do you have consumers moping about the produce aisles thinking about how much they throw away? Cheer those folks up with this trending concept, which highlights the risen consciousness of food waste. Consumers are wanting to know more ways to use their produce, and they are looking to you for tips.
Healthier Snacking Options:
This trend opts for snack bars and seltzers using healthier options—think coconut water in a cocktail. Who would have thought that bringing island life home from the grocery store could still be healthy?
Alcohol-Infused Foods:
Because interest in craft beer and artisan drinks is on the rise, this trend flips the script, bringing the booze to the bites for culinary creations all their own. Wine-infused fruit? YES, PLEASE.
Tastes from around the World:
Those in the know are aware that there is a growing inclination for foods spiced to perfection. This trend champions dishes using unique combinations of spices and produce essentials, such as scallion, garlic, and mandarin, and other twists.
Flexitarian Fun:
Vegetarian? Pescatarian? Vegan with late-night salami cravings that must be headed? This food trend puts diet needs at the forefront, with dairy products taking a backseat to better-feeling days ahead.
Childhood Favorites:
Not your mama’s pop, sodas are picking up speed again with newly envisioned flavors being brought to the drive-in… I mean, table. Adding peppers to mac & cheese is becoming increasingly popular, and new ice cream flavors are popping up left and right. Childhood is a thing of the past, but produce is a perpetual inspiration to dishes.
How will these trends impact the industry as consumers look to the vibrant hues offered with produce to liven up their dishes—both familiar and foreign, but always healthy? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated with more fresh trends and more.