KINGSVILLE, ON – The team at SUNSET® continues to commit itself to giving back to the local community and helping children lead healthier and happier lives. The company recently funded the renovation that winterized five cabins at Gesstwood Camp and Education Centre in Essex to enable the staff to better serve local youth beyond the summer months. “We’re extremely grateful for this generous donation from our friends at SUNSET,” said Executive Director Karen Seguin. “Just as SUNSET grows fresh produce year-round, we’re thrilled that we are now able to give the community camp experiences all year long.”
To celebrate, SUNSET is sending 30 local youths to Gesstwood Camp for five fun and adventure-packed days at CAMP-ARI. An homage to SUNSET’s signature Campari® tomato, CAMP-ARI is slated to run July 22nd through the 27th and will show selected youths how veggies and healthy choices can go hand-in-hand with delicious meals in the great outdoors. CAMP-ARI’s festivities will also include a guest appearance by renowned celebrity chef Roger Mooking, who hosts Man Fire Food on Cooking Channel Canada. Bringing his expertise to the table, Chef Mooking will join the fun by cooking a tasty meal with CAMP-ARI camp-goers as they gather round the open campfire. Finally, participants in CAMP-ARI will receive an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of SUNSET’s Kingsville greenhouse operation, which sits just twenty minutes from Gesstwood Camp and Education Centre.
“SUNSET distributes fresh produce throughout Canada and the United States but we wanted to do something exclusively for our friends and neighbors in the Windsor/Essex area,” said CEO Paul Mastronardi. “The CAMP-ARI kids will be participating in exciting activities like scavenger hunts, movie nights, and ropes courses and will get to eat a variety of flavorful, healthy meals. It’s a fun way to inspire local kids to be more adventurous in life and their food choices.”
Local children aged 10-15 looking to be a part of this one-of-a-kind summer camp experience can complete an entry form at www.sunsetgrown.com/campsunset. A grand total of 30 curious and excited kids will be accepted into the program; the deadline for submissions is April 1st, 2018.
DUBLIN, IRELAND – After making headlines by acquiring 45 percent of Dole Food Company earlier this winter—with an option to acquire an additional six percent—Total Produce announced robust growth throughout its operations—including a 43.5 percent increase in pre-tax profits.
“Total Produce has delivered very positive results in 2017. Total revenue has increased by 13.9 percent to €4.29 billion (USD $5.24 billion) with an 11.7 percent increase in adjusted earnings per share to 13.48 cent,” said Carl McCann, Chairman of Total Produce. “The Group announced on 1st February 2018 that it had acquired a 45 percent stake in Dole Food Company for $300 million, subject to regulatory approval. It represents a very significant step in the history of Total Produce and a continuation of its successful acquisition and expansion strategy.”
Highlights from the company’s preliminary statement include:
- Total Revenue up 13.9% to €4.29 billion (USD $5.24 billion)
- Adjusted fully diluted EPS up 11.7% to 13.48 cent (USD 16 cents)
- Adjusted EBITDA up 10.1% to €104.4 million (USD $1.27 million)
- Adjusted EBITA up 13.3% to €83.5 million (USD $101.99 million)
- Profit before tax up 43.2% to €72.5 million (USD $88.55 million)
- Total dividend up 10.0%
In addition to the high-profile Dole investment this February, the company noted benefits from a transaction this past March—in which Total Produce acquired an additional 30 percent of the Oppenheimer Group (Oppy); altogether, Total Produce acquired a 65 percent interest in Oppy for €43.8 million ($53.4 million). Total Produce also noted investments in Progressive Produce, Keystone Fruit Marketing, and The Fresh Connection.
For more on Total Produce and other important companies in our industry, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
CALIFORNIA - March has certainly greeted California with its lion’s roar, waking up residents with pouring rain and putting the Sierra Mountains on alert. My snowboarding self is thrilled for the powder that my state is no longer accustomed to, while my produce industry awareness is hoping the water chases away drought concerns that have circulated since December.
That’s the plus side; the negative is the promise of travel disruption that the powerful storm is set to bring. According to AccuWeather Meteorologist Jordan Root, the western U.S. is in for quite a weekend.
“In the wake of this early week storm, the focus will then turn to the next system that will drop southward into California into Friday,” Root said, referring to when Sacramento saw inches of hail that masqueraded as snowfall to kick off the work week. “As the system moves southward, rain chances will increase for Southern California.”
Root anticipates Northern California to experience the heaviest rainfall from the storm, on the order of 2-4 inches, and thus be at greatest risk of flooding and possible mudslides.
Heavy snow is also in store for the Sierra Nevada region, with the Sacramento Bee reporting that the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the Lake Tahoe area, effective from 8 a.m. this morning (PST) to 4 a.m. Friday. This includes:
- South Lake Tahoe
- Truckee
- Stateline
- Incline Village
Total snow accumulations of 2 to 5 feet are forecast in the high Sierra, at elevations above 7,000 feet, with 1 to 3 feet of snow at the 6,000 foot level, including the Lake Tahoe Basin.
The snow may fall at a fast enough pace for crews to struggle to keep the roads clear. Closures are possible over Donner Pass.
"By the end of this week, there may be a fresh 4-8 feet of snow on the ground over the high country of the Sierra Nevada," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Ken Clark said.
Moving down the state, portions of Interstate 5 and other major highways may be slower than normal due to the downpours.
Road travel is likely to be disrupted across California, as well as air travel in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other major hubs.
While much of the state welcomes the water, a recommended evacuation warning was issued for communities near the Thomas, Sherpa, and Whittier fire burn areas in Santa Barbara County in light of flood and mudslide dangers.
Here’s hoping everyone stays safe, stays dry, and that the news following this weather system is good news for the produce industry.
OXNARD, CA - Avocados are making their way into the market in new and exciting ways, and Mission Produce is here to take things to the next level with its new Emeralds in the Rough product—two- and three-pound bags of grade 2 avocados to capture consumers’ interest with their perfectly imperfect outer appeal that is wonderfully wonky!
“This product has a lot of things going for it; rising consumption of imperfect fruit, a propensity for sustainable products, smart design and average lower cost,” said Director of Sales Patrick Cortes. “We see Emeralds in the Rough as a promotional item, available certain times of year when the trees have more grade 2 fruit. This will alleviate the pressure to move it only through foodservice at the times we have abundant grade 2 avocados.”
These grade 2, treasured fruits are labeled as such because they look marred, weather-blemished, and peculiar, but they taste just as delicious as grade 1, which is considered the more physically alluring of the two.
“This is agriculture, and not every piece of fruit is picture perfect. We created Emeralds in the Rough to showcase how beautiful and tasty every avocado is even when it’s blemished. We wanted the packaging to be vibrant and draw in shoppers. The copy is fun, and the design provides the ability for in-and-out promotions,” said Director of Marketing Denise Junqueiro, who described this movement as beneficial to the industry at large.
While foodservice distributors and industrial users are the typical recipients of grade 2 avocado orders in bulk configurations, as scarred versions of the guacamole essential haven’t traditionally been merchandised at the retail level, the company explained in a recent press release that there is a developing consumer audience for the blemished grade thanks to a growing awareness of the unmarred internal taste and acceptance of imperfect produce items.
“Emeralds in the Rough are for the savvy avocado eater who can see past the rough exterior to get to that green gold. With demand constantly on the rise, we are confident this bag will be a treasure for consumers and retailers alike,” said Vice President of Sales and Marketing Brent L. Scattini. “This product will add to Mission’s repertoire of products that fill specific needs for our growing customer base.”
Will we see more companies take this step in produce acceptance and consumer-focused usability? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated with the latest!
KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO - Taking home another award, Mucci Farms’ Veggies To Go™ won a Best In Class Award in the New Brand–Food & Beverage category at the 2018 Packaging Consortium (PAC) Awards, a not-for-profit corporation with over 2,500 members throughout the packaging value chain.
“We are excited and honored to receive another award for Veggies To Go,” said Emily Murracas, Director of Marketing, in a press release. “Having been recognized within the produce industry for this product and package, it’s particularly exciting to be recognized in a broader context amongst well-established world-class brands and packages.”
The annual PAC Awards were judged by a panel of international brand design packaging experts from around the world. This year, over 200 entries were judged on a variety of criteria, including sustainability, food safety, cost, packaging material, graphic design, print process, practical usage, and the story of the product from inception to market. On Tuesday, February 27, 2018, at Brand Experience Magazine’s BXP Live! Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida, a team from Mucci Farms was on hand to accept Veggies To Go’s award.
“Veggies To Go was an exciting and challenging project that took us three years to bring to the market, so it’s very rewarding to have it received so well by retailers, consumers, and now industry packaging experts,” said Fernanda Albuquerque, New Product Development Manager.
Veggies To Go has received several awards over the years, including the Freggie Approved award at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association’s Convention & Expo, which recognized the best kid-centric product and package, as well as recently won the Award for Best New Package Promo at the PMA’s 2017 Fresh Summit Conference and Expo.
And, if you’re headed to SEPC’s Southern Exposure conference this week in Tampa, Florida, Veggies To Go will feature in the new product showcase, so be sure to check it out.
Congratulations, Mucci Farms, on another win! For more news like this, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
MILPITAS, CA - Our industry is a dynamic one, and Daylight Foods is one operation that more than lives up to that notion. Aligning with the company’s commitment to evolve its footprint and offerings in 2018, Daylight Foods recently announced the acquisition of San Francisco, California-based Parkview Produce.
Joining me to talk shop and share the news are Daylight Foods’ CEO Chris Vlahopouliotis and President Jeff Sacchini. Under the terms of the Parkview deal, Daylight also acquired the company’s customers and employees through an asset purchase.
“Our Daylight family welcomes Parkview Produce and its amazing and diversified customer base. Parkview’s Owner Robert Tantillo, and his key employees, have been a tremendous asset in helping with the transition and integration,” Chris shares. “It has been a pleasure getting to know Robert and observing his extraordinary relationship with his customers. His work ethic, customer focus, and integrity fit perfectly within our culture. With his help, we will continue to grow and expand our market share in the Bay Area.”
Parkview will bring its expertise in locally-grown products, including organic items, dairy products, processed items, and juices to the table as well. Parkview’s Owner and shareholder, Robert Tantillo, has joined the Daylight team as Vice President of Sales, and shareholder Jennifer Tantillo has joined the company as Customer Sales Director.
I ask Jeff what motivated Daylight Foods to acquire the company, and he shares that it is all about growth and servicing customers.
“We want to continue to employ our strategy of increasing our market share in the Bay Area and growing our white table cloth and independent chain categories,” Jeff tells me. “This acquisition adds to earnings, increases the depth of our sales team, and improves our delivery network.”
From farm to plate, Daylight is a rapidly evolving wholesale distributor and processor of fresh produce and specialty foods that distributes a range of items including conventional and organic fresh produce, pastas, dairy items, a vast assortment of pre-cut fruits and vegetables, as well as imported and gourmet goods.
So, what’s next for Daylight Foods in 2018? The company will continue to explore strategic opportunities and add talent whenever possible. In other words, the team shows no signs of slowing.
PHARR, TX - It’s been a wacky winter for multiple areas of the U.S., and southern Texas is no exception. Despite the cold and gray, though, Pharr International Bridge Director Luis Bazán tells me that things are running smoothly through the busy port.
Too fresh still is the sad memory of the fire that damaged the bridge along the Durango-Mazatlán Highway that plays a key role in transporting fresh goods between Mexico and the U.S., with no final date on when it would be up-and-running.
“The fire on that bridge is hampering that transportation, but product is now coming in on time,” Luis tells me. “Sure, it is tacking on six to nine extra hours of travel time, which is not good—the bridge came in to save everyone—but my understanding is the government is working hard to at least have it open by Easter.”
The tentative Easter deadline is currently to have two lanes of the four-way divide back online to filter that traffic back through.
“It’s definitely looking up,” Luis emphasizes. “We have been on top of everything as best we can be. Initially we were informed it would take a few weeks to examine the extent of damage, and luckily for the industry and everyone involved, it seems the damage to the bridge wasn’t as extensive as the government initially thought.”
Erring on the side of caution is GR Fresh Vice President of Sales and Marketing Tony Incaviglia, who shares cautious optimism about the situation and where it might fall in the coming weeks or months.
“I think it'll help, but imagine single trailer 18 wheelers or even doubles going down one lane or a winding tight 2 lane highway like the old route offered. If the single lane is found to be durable enough to handle the weight it will definitely help, though, no doubt.”
The current reverted route to the old highway works, Tony explains, but not without understandable disruption.
“Like anything else, when you get used to the new and improved it is difficult to take a step back and adjust,” Tony tells me. “You have issues with the cargo because of a windier road pallets shift, cartons crush and product is damaged. We definitely regressed logistically. To understand, you have to try to project with the mind of how it was four years ago; we are doing fine and making it work, but it has hindered our ability to project accurate arrival times causing a backlog at our warehouses that directly impact load times for our customers.”
The accident occurred on January 12, when a truck caught fire and took out a significant part of the road crossing the bridge, delaying shipments and causing concern for the structure.
As we look forward to the bridge being brought back to full capacity and saving significant hours in the lifespan of fresh produce shipments, keep checking in with AndNowUKnow for the latest.
SANTA PAULA, CA – March is here, which means spring cleaning is almost afoot. And to give spring cleaners a hand, Limoneira’s spokesperson Megan Roosevelt and guest vlogger and collaborator Ashley from Ashely’s Green Life are sharing their favorite DIY cleaning methods on the Limoneira Youtube channel all month long.
According to a recent press release, as with beauty and culinary pursuits, lemons and other citrus fruits are great for cleaning endeavors because citrus fruits retain properties that make them the DIY spring-cleaner’s secret weapon and key ingredient in many natural home cleaning solutions.
For a helpful demonstration, you can watch Megan and Ashley create the recipes below here on the Limoneira YouTube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe as videos with more citrus-forward recipes, tips, and tricks will be added to the channel each Friday throughout the month. And for now, sneak a peek at some of this month’s DIY tips below.
Simple Cleaning Solution
This green cleaning solution will keep any window or mirror naturally pristine.
Ingredients:
- One spray bottle
- One cup of water
- Two Limoneira lemons
Directions: Juice the lemons and measure out two TBSP of lemon juice. (Optional: Use a fine mesh strainer to remove additional pulp from lemon juice.) Pour cup of water into spray bottle, followed by lemon juice. Shake and use as needed.
Meyer Lemon Ginger Detox Drink
Spring cleaning goes beyond the home. Sometimes, a detox is just the thing to leave the body feeling refreshed and ready to welcome warmer weather.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1 Limoneira Meyer lemon, sliced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1/8 tsp ground tumeric
Directions: Add ingredients to a French press and fill with boiling water. Let steep for 30 minutes. Press to strain and enjoy warm or chilled.
Limoneira has also partnered with additional global chefs and mixologists, nutritionists, and beauty lifestyle and green cleaning experts to share their knowledge with the customers of Limoneira’s grocery and food service partners around the world. Check out their biographies on Limoneira’s website.
Each month, Megan will be featuring another wonderful facet of citrus living. Subscribe to Limoneira’s Youtube channel for more information on the many ways this endlessly versatile fruit can improve life inside the home and beyond. For more of the latest produce news, stay up-to-date with AndNowUKnow.
SEATTLE, WA - In light of the recent Olympics games that revved up the competitive nature in all of us, there is another race in the works, though it showcases a different kind of international glory. According to Facts Chronicle, Amazon is in the running to be among the first trillion-dollar companies during the current state of the market.
Amazon’s current market cap is $738.5 billion at the time of publication for this article, with shares coming in at $1,525—up 13 percent. E-commerce stateside has seen the value of stocks increase at a rapid rate in recent days, with shares worth $1,500 just five days ago. According to BBC, who recently reported on the race to the trillion-dollar company claim, share price for the company rose by over 50 percent last year.
The company’s foray into grocery has provided bountiful business opportunities. Though holding the company back from making it over the finish line, BBC reckons, is the rate at which it spends money, reporting that more than $4 billion was spent creating Prime TV content as the service fights off competing entertainment services. In addition to these expenses, it is also investing in Alexa and its delivery systems.
Amazon’s progression is competing against other industry-spanning titans like Apple, whose current market cap, as of the time of the article’s publication, was $914 billion. CNN pointed out in its recent article that stock need only go up by 10 percent to reach $1 trillion. Another contender is Google parent Alphabet, which sits at $800 billion, CNN reported.
This didn’t deter analyst Dan Ives of GBH Insights, who, in a note seen by CNBC, explained, “The Prime membership moat that [CEO Jeff] Bezos & Co. have built is gaining further steam in the field, and the Amazon ‘flywheel effect’ is further playing out globally among consumers.” He continued, “The Bezos strategic path, both on the consumer and enterprise fronts, [is] still in the middle innings of playing out, and Amazon remains a ‘green light’ name to own at these levels.”
The reason for Amazon’s exponential success in recent weeks and months is its wide-reaching grip on many industries, with its recent takeover of Whole Foods. Further, Facts Chronicle reported that Prime memberships, which Ives emphasized as an immense strength for the CEO and company, and the recently-extended Visa rewards benefit Whole Foods’ customers. This provides incentive for Amazon customers to look to Whole Foods, which sits under Amazon’s umbrella, for their culinary needs.
Will Amazon’s grocery endeavors lead the business to the finish line in time to beat competitors eyeing the role of becoming the first trillion-dollar company in our current market state? Will the power of produce push Amazon to the front of the pack? AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you updated with the latest!
SALINAS, CA – Tanimura & Antle’s Vice President of Legal and General Counsel Wesley Van Camp was recently honored with the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce Ag Leadership award. The executive was acknowledged for her leadership in resolving the challenge of farmworker housing in the Salinas Valley after spearheading Tanimura & Antle’s Spreckels Crossing project.
“Our CEO, Rick Antle, sets a high bar. And it is Rick who launched me on my journey as an advocate for agriculture and for this community,” Wesley stated in her acceptance speech, according to a press release. “It has truly been a privileged journey to set remarkable projects and ideas in motion, like quality agricultural employee housing. It is inspiring to know that we are all committed to creating a strong local economy and promoting our local community.”
The employee-only residential housing complex, Spreckels Crossing, officially opened for Tanimura & Antle employees in April of 2016 and is about to welcome its third season of resident employee owners. The complex consists of 100, two-bedroom, two-bathroom fully-furnished units with the capacity to house up to eight employees per unit—though if preferred, residents have the option to rent a room with fewer occupants. The complex also includes an on-site store and lounge with access to computers, a laundry room, a recreation room, baseball and soccer fields, and communal barbeque and picnic areas.
Before starting her career with Tanimura & Antle in 2002, Van Camp received her Bachelor of Science in Evolution & Ecology from the University of California, Davis and a Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University. She also actively serves on the United Fresh Produce Association Government Relations Council and is an executive committee member of the Monterey County Business Council.
Congratulations, Wesley Van Camp, on this achievement! For more news like this, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.