FLORIDA - Many friendships in my life have begun over a shared love for potatoes; I mean, what’s not to love about something that can be cooked, boiled, baked, fried, mashed, and seasoned a million different delicious ways? This season, L&M is making sure all of us potato enthusiasts get our summer potato fix as the company transitions to North Florida.
I caught up with L&M’s Operations Manager Adam Lytch and Sales Manager Derek Ennis to get the inside scoop on how potatoes are faring this season.
“We are currently shipping potatoes from South Florida and began the transition to our Palatka, Florida farm in late April,” Derek Ennis told me. “Since we began shipping in early February, quality has been excellent. Our early digs at our farm in North Florida look very nice, and we expect good quality and yields there as well.”
Along with quality, Derek explained volumes this year will be very similar to last year, specifically on red and yellow potatoes. And while white potatoes are coming in at a lower volume than usual, L&M is making up for it by adding a few specialty items into the mix, like purple and fingerling potatoes.
Not to mention, Mother Nature has been cool, calm, and collected, with only some less than ideal bouts of rain while planting in January, which has resulted in a good growing season for the most part and only resulted in a slight decrease in yields.
“At the moment, demand exceeds supply on yellow and white potatoes, while the red market has been weaker than normal for this time of year due to strong yields in Florida overlapping with storage crops,” Adam told me. “At the same time, the current red potato market has provided retailers the opportunity to carry new crop Florida potatoes and make the switch to these nice fresh potatoes at competitive prices. We also have a strong freight advantage into the Southeast which has been a real help during the current trucking market.”
Adam also shared that the company is seeing a spike in demand and pricing for yellow and white potatoes, with reds expected to stay steady for a few weeks, as L&M transitions to its North Florida farm.
“While there is lots of demand for Yellow A size potatoes, we will still have a lot of Yellow B size potatoes for promotional opportunities,” Adam explained. “We can set up aggressive programs on the Yellow B size potatoes and pack them in a wide variety of pack styles, including a medley with Red B potatoes. We can drive a really good value with the Yellow B size potatoes at retail in 3 pound poly bags.”
For more crop updates like this, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
RIVERHEAD, NY - Let’s rejoice! Watermelon season is almost upon us and that means we’ll soon be eating—and Instagramming—as much of the stuff as we can.
With this idea in mind, Hapco Farms is kicking off a social media campaign titled #watermelonstrong. Starting May 1, this campaign wants to feature photos from watermelon fans across the nation. Focusing on how consumers are using watermelons to show off their strength, Hapco Farms is eager to see the creativity that’s bound to show up in this campaign.
"We are excited to see how creative people can be in showing off their strength using their favorite summer fruit," said Raquel Mello, Watermelon Specialist.
Hapco Farms is continuing its strong 2018 domestic watermelon season by offering multiple varieties, such as the 7187 variety, Joy Rise, Road Trip, and Fascination. With shipping starting from Central and North Florida, according to a press release, the expected volume this season is sure to be as strong as the company's hashtag.
Consumers should upload their photos to Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag #watermelonstrong. This campaign will run through Labor Day weekend.
VANCOUVER, BC - Don’t ask me my favorite part, I could never choose. Vancouver is a city like no other I’ve visited, and our industry met beautiful British Columbia's backdrop with new offerings in both product and packaging for the 93rd Annual CPMA Convention and Trade Show. While so many items stood out, not the least of which were the well-deserved new product winners, here are a few I’m hoping you got a chance to experience.
Bay Baby Organic Delicata Squash
Net and mesh are in this season from what I was seeing on the show floor. No exception was the Organic Delicata Squash from Bay Baby, which offers a one-two-punch package deal: on-the-go convenience and an organic product. Both are buzzwords to our industry and the consumers we cater too, and both can be found in the company’s new two-pack. And not only do the squash themselves draw the eye, but a recipe card front-and-center shows curious new Delicata eaters how to begin their kitchen squash adventures. Bon appetit!
Atlas Produce Fresh Energy™ by Caramel Naturel Rebrand
I love when the design and brand meet in a cohesive middle. Fresh Energy™ in particular has a different-but-similar appearance between products that stands out: the same mountain-based image ties each date product together as one brand, but each label is a different, stand-out color that allows them to stand on their own. I can see this new edge reinvigorating loyal customers while attracting new ones.
SUNSET® Sugar Bombs™
Fitting right in with the Randy Bachman conclusion to CPMA was the rock n’ roll design of the new SUNSET® innovation, Sugar Bombs™. Making its product debut at the company booth, these vibrant red tomatoes are presented beautifully on the vine, with nothing but a clear package, keeping consumers from reaching out and plucking a tomato right off. Party platter? Produce alternative to a charcuterie plate? Let your imagination run with it!
Thomas Fresh White Turmeric and Ginger
As I said previously, mesh and netting were a standout option for this round in Canadian product appeal. Another standout in consumer trends is the continued quest for superfoods and their healing properties. I found these things wrapped up in conveniently-sized, attractive-yet-breathable mesh toppers presenting Thomas Fresh’s white turmeric and ginger. Yes, white turmeric has now been added to my ever-expanding repertoire of produce items to know. I’m expecting to see this available with Kombucha soon.
Frank & Able Tomatoes on the Vine
If you swung by Oppy’s booth, you likely saw an artisan-style, dark brand showcasing some new greenhouse-grown tomatoes on the vine. If you didn’t, this is a brand worth looking into. With sketched-style imagery on the boxes and a fun brand depicting care-free, fun family roots, this checks off all the boxes for story-seeking consumers looking for a good name to add to their kitchen. And having been grown in a protected environment, these tomatoes are beautiful on and off the vine, and available throughout the year.
While I was sorry to leave Vancouver, I’m excited to see how CPMA 2019 will raise the bar it set for itself this year as the industry returns to Montreal. Stay tuned for more coverage from the hit show.
WEST DES MOINES, IA - Midwestern retailer Hy-Vee and its subsidiary Midwest Heritage are pairing with Connecture, a web-based platform for health insurance distribution, to offer the company’s more than 58,000 part-time employees benefits.
“Our people are the key to our success. We developed the new part-time employee benefits program with the goal of giving Hy-Vee a competitive advantage in the recruiting and retention efforts of our part-time employees,” said Sheila Laing, Hy-Vee’s Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President. “Benefits are an important component to the health and satisfaction of our employees. This program is unique in our industry and differentiates us from other retailers, while improving the lives of our employees.”
Hy-Vee’s new program will offer 11 elective benefit options to more than 58,000 part-time Hy-Vee employees, including: health, dental; short-term disability; vision; group life; accident; critical illness; hospital indemnity; individual life and disability; auto, homeowners, and renters; and pet insurance. According to a press release, any part-time employee 19 years of age and older is eligible for the program, which also covers spouses and dependents.
Part-time Hy-Vee employees will have the opportunity to shop for comprehensive medical insurance options alongside a new package of affordable group benefits through an online portal entitled Hy-Vee Part-time Smart Choices™ Marketplace.
“Connecture’s technology is a game-changer when it comes to assisting employees in making informed benefit choices,” said Jeff Surges, Connecture President and CEO. “Collaborating with Hy-Vee makes perfect sense as our platform complements their charge to reshape the way benefits are delivered in their industry. Our hope is that Hy-Vee will serve as a model for other companies, and inspire them to bring similar programs to life.”
Hy-Vee and Midwest Heritage worked together to identify the diverse benefit needs of part-time Hy-Vee employees, undertaking a company-wide survey, which indicated 80 percent of part-time employees considered benefits a key component when choosing a part-time position.
“We have a large population of employees who benefit from these elective offerings,” said Michael O’Donnell, Midwest Heritage Senior Vice President. “We quickly recognized that communicating benefit options to 58,000 people would take an intuitive, user-friendly platform. This is why we partnered with Connecture to offer the Smart Choices Marketplace, to ensure we could communicate with and meet the diverse insurance needs of our part-time employees and their families.”
The retailer noted, in its press release, that medical insurance options through the new program start at as little as $200 a month, depending on electives and coverage type. And Midwest Heritage plans to partner with Connecture to provide similar offerings to employers interested in expanding benefits for its part-time employees, as well.
For more fresh retail news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
NEWPORT BEACH, CA - GreenFruit Avocados is welcoming not-so-green industry expert Bernardo “Bernie” Gomez to expand relationships between the company and the fields that grow its must-have produce. He has been hired to serve as Global Operations Manager, and he brings a wealth of knowledge that will support the company’s growth moving forward.
"We are so excited to welcome Bernie to the GreenFruit Avocados team as the new Global Operations Manager. With the growth we have experienced in the recent years and the expertise he brings to the company, Bernie will play a crucial role in streamlining our supply chain process for our global programs," Vice President Brian Gomez tells me.
Bernie is bringing experience with purchasing and sourcing professional know-how for various fruits and veggie categories. He also has a deep understanding of grower relations, from inspecting operations in the field to overseeing negotiations amongst growers in Nayarit, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Baja California, Mexico. He has also traveled throughout the U.S., Colombia, Peru, and Chile to strengthen his understanding of the industry. While visiting the fields and working with growers to better understand the business, Bernie gained experience sourcing and purchasing lettuce, cilantro, broccoli, green onions, radishes, corn, cabbage, potatoes, celery, cucumbers, bell peppers, squash, onions, avocados, melons, watermelons, apples, pears, mangos, and pineapples.
“I want to propel the company forward by adapting innovative processes and programs to streamline purchases and establish relationships that will help the company with its growth,” Bernie shares with me. “My goal is to be part of a growing and successful company and to help GreenFruit continue its evolution as we look to the future, and I’m excited to jump in on the action at GreenFruit to push our team forward in new ways.”
Bernie has also been recognized for his strong capabilities; product quality identification; and local, domestic, and international supplier program direction when working with corporate retailers.
From all of us at AndNowUKnow, congratulations to both Bernie and the GreenFruit Avocado team. We look forward to seeing you thrive as a result of this step and what lies ahead.
MONROVIA, CA - There’s nothing like turning a cleaning night or chore day into an engaging discussion with your closest friends—aka the top podcasts you’ve been listening to that week. Currently at the top of my must-listen-to list is Trader Joe’s recently-launched, first-ever podcast Inside Trader Joe’s.
“Providing information to our customers has always been an important part of what we do,” said Trader Joe’s Spokesperson Kenya Friend-Daniel. “Inside Trader Joe’s has allowed us the air—literally—to delve a little deeper into our story and to answer the questions our customers have asked of us, in our own fun and interesting way. It’s a good start to a conversation we hope to continue.”
In this five-part series, Trader Joe’s is tackling everything from never before heard stories, with topics like what saved the retailer from going out of business, how a customer helped change the way it sells its bananas, parking lots, whether or not the retailer plans to sell products online, and what it takes to get a Trader Joe’s in your neighborhood.
Not to mention, according to a company press release, Trader Joe’s Crew Members, including the grocer’s CEO, President and COO, President of Stores, Executive Vice President of Marketing & Merchandizing, and Store Captains will be featured discussing the way the retailer does business, what sets it apart from other grocers, where and how it discovers its products, and what customers can expect in the future.
To listen to the podcast, visit Trader Joe's website, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts!
Will more retailers jump onto the podcast bandwagon and bring us podcasties (people who listen to podcasts, it's a thing now) the inside scoop on grocery? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
CASTROVILLE, CA - The classic beauty of the artichoke meets the culinary community’s obsession with the Instant Pot® in Ocean Mist® Farms' latest multi-faceted digital promotion. With the spring artichoke season just beginning and abundant supply of fresh artichokes available to retail, what better opportunity to encourage consumers to experience the delicious flavor of the veg than with an Instant Artichoke Giveaway. Through the sweepstakes, shoppers can enter from April 30 to June 22 for a chance to win one of 18 prize packs, including an Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart plus a variety of cooking utensils.
“We hope to inspire people to reach for fresh artichokes when they are planning the menu for their next gathering or weeknight dinner,” said Diana McClean, Senior Director of Marketing. “We are excited to be able to leverage one of the hottest, new cooking tools with this giveaway and to partner with these key influencers to showcase how quickly and easily artichokes can be added to your dinner table.”
Together, peak season for artichokes and the spring season offer ample opportunity to pump the veg as a flavorful solution for a nutritious appetizer or a filling main course. One way the company said it will support the Instant Artichoke Giveaway is to align with food influencers and registered dietitians to help spread the message of Ocean Mist Farms’ leadership position in the artichoke category.
Also in the cards this spring is a partnership with mobile technology company iBotta, according to a press release. Ocean Mist and iBotta will provide coupons to incentivize purchases and drive foot traffic in support of the increase in sales during this high demand artichoke season. To redeem the offer, app users will be prompted to visit the Instant Artichoke Giveaway sweepstakes entry page, creating a fully-integrated promotional experience.
Cheers, Ocean Mist, to a beautiful kick off to the spring artichoke season, and also to whatever lucky duck takes home that Instant Pot I’ve been so coveting.
LAKELAND, FL - The first quarter of 2018 is over and done with, and Publix is proving it was able to weather the current grocery market with this quarter’s results. This quarter, Publix’s sales were $9.3 billion, a 6.8 percent increase from last year’s $8.7 billion, with comparable stores sales increasing 5.1 percent as well. Due to the effect of the Easter holidays, Publix also estimated sales increased 1.2 percent, unlike 2017 which celebrated Easter in the second quarter.
“I’m proud of our team’s results and pleased with our stock price increase considering the volatility in the stock market,” said CEO and President Todd Jones.
According to a company press release, Publix's first quarter results also included net earnings of $680.3 million, a 22.5 percent increase from last year’s $555.3 million, and earnings per share increased to $0.93 for 2018, up from $0.73 per share in the first quarter of 2017. Thanks to the decrease in the federal statutory income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, effective in 2018 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, net earnings and earnings per share for the first quarter of 2018 were positively impacted. In addition, net earnings and earnings per share were impacted by a new accounting standard requiring equity securities be measured at fair value with net unrealized gains and losses from changes in the fair value recognized in earnings. Excluding the impact of the new accounting standard, net earnings would have been $704.2 million, an increase of 26.8 percent, and earnings per share would have been $0.96 for the first quarter of 2018.
And, as of May 1, 2018, Publix’s stock price increased from $41.40 per share to $41.75 per share. Publix stock is not publicly traded and is made available for sale only to current Publix associates and members of its board of directors.
For the complete quarterly report, click here. For more of the latest happening in retail, stay up-to-date with AndNowUKnow.
ORANGE COUNTY, CA - To continue the growth of demand for Zespri® Kiwifruit, especially the proprietary variety SunGold, the company is expanding its team and bringing Raul Murguia on board to fill the newly created role of Head of Marketing for the Americas. This is one step the company is taking to become a year-round brand.
“I’m looking forward to applying my extensive CPG background to help grow the Zespri brand,” explained Murguia. “It’s an exciting time at Zespri with plans to target 50 percent growth for the coming year. In addition, our market development managers are meeting with retailers to develop customized category programs and promotions. Zespri has been successful with its strategic marketing plan, and there is still a lot of opportunity through a variety of marketing channels. I am happy to be part of the amazing Zespri team.”
Murguia is fluent in both English and Spanish, which the company believes will assist in marketing activities throughout North, Central, and South America, according to a press release.
In addition to the benefit his fluency in both languages provides, Murguia’s experience, which spans 17 years, includes stints throughout various industries, such as food and beverage, home, and personal care products. His previous role was Marketing Director for Innovations at Pharmavite Corporation—a vitamins, minerals, and supplements company. His career beginnings, though, reach back to his role at Coca-Cola in Mexico; from there, he stepped into his position at Procter and Gamble Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States. He has also held positions as Marketing Director for both Sara Lee and Pepsico, before landing his role at Pharmavite.
Murguia brings expertise gained through the completion of his master’s degree in business administration from Xavier University, Williams College of Business.
Congratulations to both Raul and the whole Zespri team, from all of us at AndNowUKnow! We look forward to seeing how the addition of Raul will help the team flourish!
BOISE, ID - This week, the Board of WinCo Foods has announced plans to appoint a new President and successor to departing CEO Steven Goddard. The company has selected Grant Haag—a 34-year veteran of WinCo who is currently serving as the company’s SVP of Department Operations—to take over as President. Haag will also assume the role of CEO effective next year.
Throughout his 34-year tenure with WinCo, Haag has served in a number of positions, including Produce Department Manager, NW Division/Oregon Produce Supervisor, Vice President of Produce Operations, and District Manager of the company’s Northwest Division. Haag was appointed SVP of Department Operations for WinCo Foods in September 2015.
According to the company’s press release, Haag’s appointment is the culmination of an intensive two-year process that WinCo undertook to identify the right person. The three final candidates for the position were thoroughly vetted and each worked hard, under scrutiny from the WinCo Board, to make sure that the best-suited individual was selected.
"We firmly believe that Grant is the right choice to lead the Company into the future," said Goddard, in a press release.
Haag also serves on the Board of Directors for the WinCo Foods Foundation, a 501(C)(3) charitable organization, created to support and assist WinCo employee owners and the communities in which WinCo operates, and serves on the Oregon Executive Committee for the "City of Hope" charity foundation, which provides support to one of the world's leading biomedical research and cancer treatments centers.
For more important retail news as it affects the produce industry, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.