GEORGIA - Its reputation precedes it, according to both retailers and suppliers. Vidalia onions, with a fan-base even bigger than the acreage on which it can be grown, is returning. It brings consumers out to the grill, and forges grower partnerships spanning the U.S., like that of Giumarra Companies and Georgia-based G&R Farms.
“My grandfather started back in 1945, so we are the oldest grower/packer/shipper of Vidalia onions in the current industry now,” Walt Dasher, Co-Owner of G&R Farms, said in our latest video exclusive.
If that background gives you pause when comparing to the span of Giumarra Companies, Walt is quick to assure you that the core operations between the two businesses are much more similar than you might think. Commenting that he can’t say enough about Giumarra, Walt says, “They are a big company but they operate on a very similar basis to the way that we do at G&R. They’re family, their principles are family, they’re very serious about their quality, very serious about their employees, very serious about their customers, and the fit was perfect because it lines up with everything that we do.”
And what G&R does well is Vidalias, thanks in no small part to the Georgia soil’s low sulfur content minimizing the pungency normally associated with onions while maximizing the sugar.
It’s a taste Scott Bennett, Jewel Osco’s Produce Sales Manager, says the retailer’s shoppers crave.
“The Vidalia onion and the onion category is strong for us, but the Vidalia onion is the key onion throughout the summer months in Chicagoland. Customers actually wait for that Vidalia onion to come in, and once it comes in they really appreciate it,” Scott says in the video.
He comments on the summertime association Chicago consumers attach to the onion, among them times by the barbecue, and that Jewel Osco will promote Vidalias heavily this season, including 3 lb bags, bulk, and Chicago-area billboards.
“Once they know they’re available, the customers just buy them,” Scott assures.
Both Scott and Walt appear to agree that all sides of the industry need to know not only about the Vidalia’s signature flavor profile, but the process that brings it to market. Walt speaks of how retailers should get their hands in the dirt, while, separately, Scott comments that it’s eye-opening for him to see how the farmers actually grow the product, including the care, handling, and energy growers put into the process.
To find out more about what both men had to say about the sweet, but brief window that provides consumers with Vidalia onions, watch out brief video above.
MILLEN, GA - The Nashville puns are aplenty, so I’ll try and refrain myself from making too many. The Athens of the South—aptly named for the amount of colleges the town has—will be the education epicenter of The Southeast Produce Council’s second annual Southern Innovations Organics & Foodservice Expo. Taking place September 6-8, attendees will have the chance to experience the four pillars of SEPC: Networking, Innovation, Community, and Education.
“We are so excited to be back in Nashville for Southern Innovations. This year’s conference will provide the perfect setting for our foodservice, wholesale, and retail attendees looking for many new products the foodservice and organic sectors have to offer,” stated President and CEO, David Sherrod, in a recent press release. “We are already surpassing last year’s record-breaking attendance with more exhibitors and buyers signing up every day. And of course, we will continue to provide plenty of southern hospitality, country music, SEPC football and outstanding educational opportunities throughout the weekend!”
Although the SEPC is still settling some details regarding the conference, the following lineup is a taste of what’s in store for members.
September 6:
- “Bash in the Nash” Opening Reception from 6 pm to 10 pm.
September 7:
- Two workshops highlighting organics and foodservice-related topics, between 8:30 am and 11:15 am.
- General Session & Keynote Luncheon at 11:30 am, which includes the presentation of the Next Generation Award.
- The Organics & Foodservice Exposition from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
- The Chairman’s “Roots and Boots” Dinner Dance at 7 pm.
September 8:
- Sporting Clays, the Founders Memorial Golf Tournament, OR a local tour – all with lunch included.
- “Saturday’s in the South” Tailgate Experience from 3:30 pm until 11 pm. Come wearing your team’s gear and get ready for one heck of a tailgate!
After last year’s successful conference of over 500 attendees, including over 100 Retail and Foodservice registrants, the SEPC is anticipating an even greater response from members, especially with valuable booth space available for 100 exhibitors.
SANDPOINT, ID - Litehouse is upping the ante for organic offerings by putting a convenient spin on its classic creamy dressing flavors with its new Litehouse Organic Spoonables line. With organic takes on traditional dressing flavors like Ranch and Caesar, Litehouse is innovating what it does best and tapping into the growing $50 billion organic industry with its new Certified USDA Organic, Certified Gluten-Free, and non-GMO line set to make organic offerings more accessible for consumers across the country.
“Consumers love the creamy dressings in the Litehouse core line, and we’re excited to expand our organic offerings with beloved flavors like Organic Blue Cheese and Organic Ranch,” Brooke Gansemer, Assistant Brand Manager said. “We know many consumers are seeking an organic alternative for everyday essentials like salad dressing, and our newest line extension will deliver on the great taste and real ingredients that make Litehouse a family favorite.”
While organic dressing options tend to be vinaigrette-style, Litehouse went the opposite direction and developed more traditional, thick and creamy options, similar to those found in the company’s core dressing line. Available in an 11-ounce glass jar, Litehouse Organic Spoonable dressings come in four delicious flavors, including:
- Organic Blue Cheese is made with all organic fresh buttermilk, blue cheese crumbles, and the perfect blend of spices
- Organic Ranch is an organic take on a classic flavor, thick and creamy, with hints of fresh herbs
- Organic Caesar is a robust dressing, made with garlic, parmesan, and just the right amount of salty tang
- Organic Coleslaw is a perfectly sweet and tangy dressing, made extra thick and creamy
According to a press release, the new refrigerated organic dressings are crafted with care by the employee owners of Litehouse and do not contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Look to offer the Litehouse Organic Spoonable dressings in your refrigerated produce department today for a suggested retail price of $4.99 to $5.49.
For more of the freshest news around, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - SpartanNash has named Douglas A. Hacker as the Lead Independent Director, with a unanimous vote from the board’s independent directors to bring him on board. Hacker is succeeding Timothy O’Donovan, as well as Mickey Foret, who retired from the board yesterday.
According to a press release, Hacker is an independent business executive and retired former executive at United Continental, which is a parent company for United Airlines. At United Continental, he served as Executive Vice President of Strategy, as well as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, among other executive roles.
He has been involved with SpartanNash for some time now, having served on the Board of Directors since 2013. At that point in time, Spartan Stores emerged with Nash-Finch Company, and he served as Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee since the merger. Hacker has also served as Chair of the Compensation and the Audit and Finance Committees, as Director of Nash-Finch. In addition to his roles, he also serves as Director of Aircastle Limited and Travelport Worldwide.
"Doug Hacker is a strong leader who has provided strategic thought leadership for many years. The Board is confident that as Lead Independent Director, he will continue to serve our shareholders with sound judgment and strategic insight," said Dennis Eidson, Chairman of the Board. "Our board of directors and the leadership team of SpartanNash extend our sincere thanks to Timothy O’Donovan and also to Mickey Foret for their many years of outstanding service as they retire from the board."
Congratulations to Douglas A. Hacker and the whole SpartanNash team. We look forward to seeing how the plethora of expertise that Hacker brings to the table will impact the company’s success and the industry at large.
For more fresh produce industry happenings, AndNowUKnow is providing you insights.
JEFFERSON PARISH, LA - US Foods is looking to expand its presence in the Louisiana market, with officials reporting the food distributor plans to triple the size of its F. Christiana facility in Jefferson Parish, according to a report by The New Orleans Advocate. The expansion will bring the floorplan to 200,000 square feet, boosting the company’s distribution network across the region.
“We are excited to strengthen our presence in Louisiana,” said Keith Knight, South Region President of US Foods. “This expansion will allow us to continue to grow and serve more customers throughout Louisiana.”
US Foods acquired F. Christiana, a distributor of food and food-related products with a 1,800 restaurant, hotel, and convenience store network across Lousisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, in 2017.
Construction is set to begin late this year and will take two years to complete. The expansion will also bring 45 new jobs to the area.
How will US Foods’ latest expansion affect its presence in the southern market? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
GULF OF MEXICO - The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season may be kicking off to an early start, forecasters have warned, with the potential for a system named Tropical Storm Alberto to hit the Gulf of Mexico over the Memorial Day weekend. AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski reported that states including Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas may see heavy rains over the next several days, with the possibility of a hurricane developing if conditions in the Gulf worsen.
"This developing system will have a tough time strengthening while over land into most of Friday. However, once over water, it should develop into an organized tropical or subtropical storm system during the weekend," Kottlowski said. "It is not out of the question that this storm strengthens into a minimal hurricane."
According to the report, the storm may see landfall as early as Sunday or into Memorial Day, with the potential of spreading across the Southeast if the system reached “tropical storm” status. The upper Gulf Coast could be subject to widespread 4-8 inches of rain in total over the weekend, and last over the next several days.
"The flood risk is not expected to end with Memorial Day," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said. "The slow movement of the storm can allow heavy rain to persist over a part of the Southeast through most of next week."
While there is no imminent risk for the produce industry, categories that may see some rain and flooding in their growing regions are as follows:
- GA, GL, TX, and SC apricots
- FL, GA, and NC blueberries
- FL, GA, TX, and SC peaches
- FL and GA sweet corn
- FL and GA greens
- GA sweet onions/Vidalia onions
Regardless of weather or not produce will be directly affected, AccuWeather suggested that downpours will create hazards for traveling and transporting over the holiday. Visibility will be reduced and the risk of vehicles hydroplaning when traveling at highway speeds will increase.
AndNowUKnow will continue to follow this storm as it develops and its potential impacts on fresh produce, so stay tuned.
DUBLIN, IE - Spanish officials seized a drugs shipment of roughly $3.9 million (€3.4 million) hidden in a truck load of lettuce. Police swooped in on the truck carrying the drugs on the A45 motorway between Malaga and Cordoba, after following it from an industrial estate in the town of Alhaurín de la Torre.
"[Gardaí] alerted Spanish police about a Costa del Sol-based Irish gang which was smuggling drugs into Ireland," a spokesman for the Spanish national police said. The police released footage of the drugs seizure.
The main mover behind this shipment has been identified as a south Dublin drug gang, according to a report by The Irish Independent. Senior sources said that the Sandyford-based gang has been been involved in major drug importations for over a decade, and perhaps longer.
The Irish Independent also revealed that four Irish men and a Romanian national are in custody in Spain after 375 lbs of cannabis was seized near Malaga on May 6. According to this report, the alleged ringleader of the operation was not arrested in the bust—but his right-hand man was.
For the latest in drugs deceptively concealed in produce, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
ANTIGO, WI - Volm Companies, a leading provider for high-quality packaging and equipment solutions within our industry, has acquired longtime business partner and Monte Vista, Colorado-based Atech, which represents the Volmpack line of equipment with a local sales and service model.
“This purchase allows us to increase our presence in one of the largest fresh potato growing regions in the United States. We believe that this higher 'touch' frequency with our customers will help us better understand the needs and, ultimately, be able to offer a Volm total solution service to this very important area,” Daniel Mueller, President & CEO, said. “Having a physical presence makes sense for Volm because it makes sense for our customers. We are very excited about this decision and certainly wish to thank Atech for their many years of representing Volm in this area.”
In addition to its established partnership for Volmpack, the two have been collaborating on distribution of packaging in the area. Now that the acquisition is underway, Wisconsin-based Volm will take on Atech’s 7,200-square-foot warehouse that resides on nine acres, and it has plans to invest in resources and improvements at the facility’s location, which will bring higher level and direct service for its San Luis Valley area customers to the next level. These improvements will also provide a regional Colorado hub to service Texas-, New Mexico-, and Arizona-based customers, according to a press release.
“In the last year, we’ve built a new, state-of-the-art facility in Pasco, Washington, and opened the doors of Volm Canada in Ancaster, Ontario and Volm Mexico, in Mexicali, Mexico. We feel it’s important that our customers across North America know our level of commitment to providing them with the level of service they deserve. The added presence will now allow us to make this possible in this region,” Vice President of Sales and Marketing Matt Alexander added.
The Colorado-based location can be found at 1100 S County Rd. 3E, Monte Vista, Colorado. To find out more information on this facility takeover and how it will impact the company and, ultimately, industry at large, check out the Volm’s website for additional details: http://volmcompanies.com/category/news/.
For more fresh produce industry news, check back with us at AndNowUKnow.
CHICAGO, IL - This week, Hazel Technologies has announced a spate of new hires—bringing produce industry veteran Mario Cervantes to its team as the new Business Development and Sales Manager at Hazel Technologies and adding seven new team members, in total, to meet the rapidly-growing company’s needs.
Additionally, the company announced the opening of an upgraded facility, featuring a new state-of-the-art post-harvest produce lab, brand new refrigeration rooms and modified atmosphere capabilities. According to the company’s press release, the new lab will be used to provide best-in-class technical support for Hazel’s customers, which include some of the largest growers, packers, and shippers of fresh produce in the world.
“After working for over a decade on the cutting edge of fresh produce packing as both a grower and technology provider, I was excited to see the powerful impact Hazel's products are already having on the fresh industry globally,” said Cervantes. “With Hazel's traction across the Americas in several different fresh categories and funding support from key organizations such as the United States Department of Agriculture and Western Growers Association, I could not pass up this unique opportunity.”
Cervantes brings more than a decade of experience as an innovator in the fresh produce industry to his new role, according to Hazel Technologies’ press release. Most recently, Cervantes served as a Regional Sales Executive with Compac, leader in high-speed packinghouse technology, and before that, Cervantes founded and managed a commercial vegetable farm, Tlalli Organics, in Guanajuato, Mexico and worked for Spectrum Technologies, an agriculture instrument company. Cervantes is currently completing his Masters of Agribusiness from Kansas State University.
Derick Jiwan, Ph.D., is also joining Hazel Technologies as Senior Technical Lead. Jiwan comes to the company following more than 15 years of experience focusing on the research and development side of commercial agriculture. Most recently, Jiwan spent five years as a genetics researcher at the United States Department of Agriculture and had the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with growers to develop new crop varieties.
Additionally, the company noted, Hazel Technologies added the following team members:
- Laura Blaser, MBA, Operations Lead
- Ken Kurita, Sales and Operations Analyst
- Shriya Subedy, Post-Harvest Scientist
- Emily Moy, Production Scientist
- Nick Moore, Production Scientist
Each of the company’s new team members, Hazel Technologies noted, brings varied experience in agriculture, supply chain logistics, business, and research, and all are passionate about reducing waste in the fresh produce industry.
“All of us at Hazel Technologies are very pleased with the new team additions and facility expansion,” said Aidan Mouat, CEO and Co-Founder. “Our support from the United States Department of Agriculture and Western Growers Association have played a crucial role in our ability to increase our company resources, reduce food waste in the fresh produce industry, and improve the customer eating experience.”
Congratulations from us at AndNowUKnow to Hazel Technologies’ new team members.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Is it in the avocado? The tomato? Did we put our ANUK apple in yet another apple? Time to find out! Send us a photo of yourself pointing out the ANUK logo on the May issue of The Snack Magazine for a chance to win a cool $100 cash (just in time for lunch!).
If you haven’t received a hard copy of the issue showcasing six boxes of various produce items, click here for the digital cover and try your luck. But before you snap that selfie or have a teammate do it for you, be sure to do the following:
Show your face
It’s Friday’s eve and you might be $100 richer by the end of it. Don’t be shy, give us a smile!
Be sure you are pointing at the AndNowUKnow apple logo
Pictured below, it is not, in fact, the giant apple in the center of the cover. But nice try!
If you can answer yes to both questions, email that photo to [email protected] to qualify because the race is on! Remember that we choose two winners, one from the buy-side and one from the supply-side.
Join the bragging-right ranks of winners like:
- Irene Jamarillo of Beachside Produce
- Two-Time victor Danny Ortiz of Sysco
- Sherry Harper of Beachside Produce
- Francesca Fordice of J. Marchini Farms
- David Carrick of EarthFresh Foods
- Adam Donikian of Sobeys
- Jennifer Velasquez of Golden Sun Marketing
- Kate Reeb of Veg-Fresh Farms
- Scott Hakes of Ciruli Brothers
And that cash prize is pretty fun, too, so let the game begin!
Interested in receiving a copy of The Snack to give you a leg up in future challenges? Subscriptions are valued at $129 per year, click here to subscribe.