WENATCHEE, WA - Skip the chips and salsa this year and grab them apples—Stemilt has a new treat to offer those looking for the perfect Cinco de Mayo snack this year. The sweet flavor of Piñata®, Stemilt’s signature apple variety, with a name just as festive as its taste, is prime to promote around May 5, shared Roger Pepperl, Marketing Director at the company.
“Cinco de Mayo is the prime time for Piñata apple promotions,” Pepperl said. “The holiday is festive, colorful and, here in the United States, all about food and celebration. Piñata apples have the flavor profile and aura to fit into those celebrations.”
For Stemilt, the Piñata apple is a natural tie-in for Cinco de Mayo promotions, due to its bold, tropical-themed packaging, and, of course, the holiday-apt name of the apple. Either in bulk or in branded pouch bags, such as the 5 lb Apple Lover and 3 lb Lil Snappers®, Piñata is great for building large in-store displays in high-traffic areas, especially with its packaging, the company said.
“Every year, we see highly-creative Piñata displays. Some stores have included pineapples with their displays and others bring the piñata party favor into the display. This apple has lots of personality and can really brighten up the produce department in the spring, all while boosting apple sales,” said Pepperl.
According to a press release, the Piñata apple is a cross between three heirloom varieties, including Golden Delicious, Cox’s Orange Pippin, and Duchess of Oldenburg. Stemilt bought the rights to grow and market the fruit in 2004, and today, Piñata is a sought-after club apple variety, with consumers raving about its unique flavor profile and culinary abilities, Pepperl said.
“There are few true culinary apples out there and the Piñata is one of the standouts,” he continued. “The apple can withstand high heats and baking temperatures, making it perfect to bake with or even sauté. It has a wonderful texture and still maintains its flavor even after it has been heated up.”
This year’s Piñata crop will be hitting stride around Cinco de Mayo, Pepperl said, making for ideal availability in a range of sizes and packaging options. Stemilt will make available Lil Snappers 3 lb pouch bags for kids, as well as a branded 5 lb pouch bag. In addition, the company has bulk and bag availability on both Artisan Organics™ and conventionally-grown Piñata apples.
“Piñata came off the tree in a range of sizes, making it a great apple to promote via bulk and bagged displays. The branded packages are great for driving impulse sales, while our flavorful organic apples are there to please the fast-growing crowd of organic shoppers,” said Pepperl.
And luckily for its fans, Cinco de Mayo won’t mark the end of the Piñata season. This variety is available nearly year-round, due to partnerships with premier grower-marketers in both Chile and Argentina. This will allow retailers to continue sales momentum from Cinco de Mayo promotions all throughout the summer season, Roger added.
Stemilt is supporting retailers participating in Cinco de Mayo promotions of its Piñata apples through a social and digital blast that will reach Millennial and Gen Z consumers nationally on popular food-focused sites and social handles. The company also has many assets, including social media content, to support retail promotions both at and beyond the point-of-sale.
Want to learn more about Piñata apples for Cinco de Mayo? Contact your Stemilt sales representative and visit Stemilt's website.
WHITE PLAINS, NY - The key to maintenance is getting ahead of it, and Sabra isn't waiting around—despite the popular association with the company's label, the team saw more for its sunny brand. Having recently announced a refresh for the face of the company’s hummus, Chief Marketing Officer Eugenio Perrier tells me the move was deeply calculated.
“We wanted to revisit some of the key elements and retain what was resonating while moving forward,” Eugenio tells me, explaining that some details, like the “musicality” of how the words come together was key. “It has been 14 years between logos, and it is pretty remarkable that our identity remained exactly the same for such a long time. This in itself is interesting because it was still working.”
When Eugino joined the Sabra team three years ago, he walked into discussions of a rebrand on his first day. Despite the desire of the team, consumers were saying that it was working well.
“They were satisfied, with the majority of our reviews falling where we should want them to be,” he shares. “So we took the time to make sure we were doing things properly, coming to the market with confidence in what we were going to present as an improvement on where we were before. It’s the right step in the right direction.”
The script is similar enough that it is clearly still Sabra; as Eugenio said the words lilt together like music notes, but with a modernized touch that continues to be lighthearted. I observe the company still showcases the hummus front and center, with as much as half the lid serving as a window to the product.
“We really wanted to make sure wherever we went we still held to our initial property, and the transparency of the label has been a key to Sabra’s success. People trust in Sabra, and they trust us because the consumer can see what they are buying. It tells a lot that we are not hiding anything,” he impresses.
The final component is the sun. A playful heart and a chickpea tell an entire story as the consumer shops for their hummus fix.
“The redesign of the sun reflects our Mediterranean heritage. However, we weren’t sure if consumers were even noticing it. So we realised we needed to work on it–this is a critical part of who we are,” Eugenio comments. “The chickpea sun, also linked to our mediterranean heritage and our core ingredient, also conveys a heart shape to represent the love and passion of those working at Sabra.”
The beginning and end of it all, Eugenio tells me that Sanbra gives back to its intention in this latest label. Having established its significantly, it is not so unrecognizable that customers won’t know it as they look for the match to their veggies, crackers, and all other things hummus.
“There is a large percentage of eaters using hummus with veggies specifically—the majority of hummus consumption happens with fresh produce and vegetables. Part of why Sabra is so successful is because it’s been a great tactic to add delicious flavor to the veggies you know you need to have to have,” Eugenio concludes.
As someone who is a faithful fan of pairing veggies with hummus, I for one will be on the lookout for the new Sabra sun on my grocery spree.
CASTROVILLE, CA – Ocean Mist® Farms is helping its retail partners make the most of the freezing weather that hit the California coast this month by introducing Frost Kissed® artichokes. These unique ‘chokes are currently being shipped and will be available for the next several weeks—along with ample retail support.
“Since we do not always see a freeze, the Frost Kissed artichokes are a real seasonal treat,” said Diana McClean, Senior Director of Marketing, in a press release. “We’re trying to educate consumers on the best practices for handling and prepping, as any menu could benefit from these nuttier-tasting artichokes.”
When temperatures drop below 32 degrees, the company explained in its press release, artichokes develop a darker skin and nuttier flavor. And, while Frost Kissed artichokes have a slightly darker exterior, the brown outer layer sloughs off during the cooking process—resulting in the soft, green artichoke that shoppers are familiar with.
“The frosting of the Frost Kissed artichokes is strictly cosmetic. While these artichokes are not as vibrant as the fresh, green artichokes we sell, they offer a limited-time flavor that many shoppers look forward to experiencing when it freezes,” McClean added.
Ocean Mist Farms will provide recipe inspiration through its social media channels, as well as sharing information on the website to educate consumers on the culinary merits of Frost Kissed artichokes. Ocean Mist Farms will also provide display cards to retail customers who stock Frost Kissed artichokes.
Ocean Mist Farms also noted that it’s continuing to leverage the company’s ongoing partnership with thefeedfeed and introducing a video explaining Frost Kissed artichokes’ unique flavor and appropriate cooking techniques. The video will be shared through Ocean Mist’s social pages to inspire consumers to actively seek out Frost Kissed artichokes in their grocery stores now through March 2018.
For more information on Frost Kissed artichokes, visit this website. And for more fresh produce news, stay up-to-date with AndNowUKnow.
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on three produce businesses, according to a USDA press release, after the companies failed to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
The three businesses that are restricted from operating in the produce industry currently are as follows:
- Arizona Marketing Produce Distributors Inc., operating out of Phoenix, AZ, for failing to pay a $39,191 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Lorin N. Hobbs was listed as the officer, director and major stockholder of the business.
- Overland Xpress LLC, operating out of Cincinnati, OH, for failing to pay a $28,562 award in favor of a Florida seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Andoni Bledar and Jason M. Brown were listed as members of the business.
- Lider Fresh Company, operating out of McAllen, TX, for failing to pay a $5,600 award in favor of an Arizona seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Franciso A. Feliz Marmolejos was listed as the officer, director and major stockholder 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 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 part of USDA’s 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 the USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
PHOENIX, AZ – This week, Sprouts Farmers Market reported results for the 13-week fourth quarter and 52-week year that ended December 31, 2017, witnessing overall growth across the board. As a result, the company announced that the new fiscal year will be dedicated to investing its $10 million savings from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into its team member wages and benefits, as well as plans to repurchase up to $350 million of its outstanding common stock, as authorized by its Board of Directors.
“Sprouts’ position of strength continues to grow, demonstrated by 4.6 percent comparable store sales growth for the fourth quarter of 2017 and exceptional EPS growth of 22 percent for the year,” Amin Maredia, Chief Executive Officer, said in a company press release. “This is an exciting time for Sprouts, as we continue to capitalize on our differentiations of health and value while expanding on our opportunities in product innovation, in-store and digital customer experiences, team member development, and technology initiatives to drive operational efficiencies.”
Fourth Quarter Highlights included:
- Net sales of $1.1 billion; a 16% increase from the same period in 2016
- Comparable store sales growth of 4.6% and two-year comparable store sales growth of 5.3%
- Net income of $40 million; a 133% increase from the same period in 2016
- Diluted earnings per share of $0.29; a 142% increase from the same period in 2016
- Excluding the non-cash benefit of $18.7 million related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (1), diluted earnings per share of $0.16; a 33% increase from the same period in 2016
Fiscal Year 2017 Highlights included:
- Net sales of $4.7 billion; a 15% increase from the same period in 2016
- Comparable store sales growth of 2.9% and two-year comparable store sales growth of 5.6%
- Net income of $158 million; a 27% increase from the same period in 2016
- Diluted earnings per share of $1.15; a 39% increase from the same period in 2016
- Excluding the non-cash benefit of $18.7 million related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (1), diluted earnings per share of $1.01; a 22% increase from the same period in 2016
- Repurchased 9.7 million common shares in fiscal 2017 for a total investment of $203 million
For the full details outlined in the financial report, click here. For more news like this, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
NEWARK, DE - The Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) second-annual Science & Technology Circle of Excellence Award is upon us, and now is your chance to nominate an individual or organization that you believe has harnessed the powers of science or technology to further the industry. Know someone who has helped the produce or floral industry work smarter, not harder? Nominate them by March 23!
“This award recognizes leaders who are helping our industry turn to science and technology rather than more labor to solve industry challenges, so that we are working smarter and not harder with the labor we do have,” explained Chief Science & Technology Officer Bob Whitaker, Ph.D. “We intentionally named this award ‘Circle of Excellence’ because by recognizing innovators, we hope to inspire others to follow their lead.”
For the inaugural 2017 award, SmartWash Solutions was selected in celebration of its systems that help packers and processors of fresh fruits and vegetables monitor and enhance wash water quality in real time. SmartWash Solutions systems are designed to both help companies save labor, while also enhancing food safety and protecting public health.
“While SmartWash has been honored with numerous awards, as a company born from the needs of the produce industry, receiving the PMA Science & Technology Circle of Excellence Award was particularly gratifying for our team,” shared SmartWash Solutions President Jim Brennan. “To be singled out by our peers in the industry as a leader of technological food safety innovation has re-energized our efforts to further push the boundaries of the science of food safety.”
Have an influencer in mind? Any PMA member can submit nominations for the upcoming award, though, according to a press release, nominees do not have to be members. Feeling confident? Self-nominations are also accepted and there is no cost to enter.
A panel including PMA staff science and technology subject matter experts and industry executives will select this year’s award winner, which will be announced at PMA’s Tech Knowledge Conference May 2-3 in Monterey, CA. The recipient will also be recognized again at PMA’s Fresh Summit Convention & Expo from October 18-20 in Orlando, FL. Bonus points: the winner will receive complimentary full registration to Tech Knowledge and Fresh Summit, as well as be recognized by PMA via public relations, social media, and PMA.com.
For more information and to submit a nomination for the Science & Technology Circle of Excellence Award, visit www.pma.com/members/awards-of-excellence. We look forward to seeing these best and brightest shine!
JACKSONVILL, FL – Shoppers Value Foods entered a deal yesterday, February 22nd, to acquire seven Winn-Dixie Stores according to The Advocate. Though the price has not yet been disclosed, Danielle Satawa, CFO of the Louisiana-based grocery chain, Shoppers Value, spoke to how this acquisition will grow the chain beyond the 11 stores it now maintains in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Pascagoula.
“The addition of these stores brings our presence to New Orleans and expands our Mississippi markets,” said Satawa to The Advocate. “This was a great opportunity for us to move into these markets.”
All these newly-acquired locations will go through renovations and be converted to the Shoppers Value Foods banner. After three to six months, the stores will reopen with their new nomenclature—the retailer aims to complete the process in September and to retain all existing Winn-Dixie employees. Shoppers Value has previously operated acquired Winn-Dixie locations, so this move will not be unique for the company
Hopefully this shift will help save Winn-Dixie from the bankruptcy that we previously reported the company to be considering.
“We are working together to ensure a seamless transition, and we are confident that the stores being transferred and the talented associates based in these locations are well-positioned for success as they continue bringing value to customers,” The Advocate reported Winn-Dixie Regional Vice President Trey Edwards as saying.
To stay in the know on all market acquisitions, keep reading AndKnowUKnow.
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 USDA press release, the following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
- Tomato Specialties LLC, operating out of Nogales, AZ, for failing to pay a $4,200 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Isaac Castro and Yvette Castro were listed as members of the business.
- Shorty’s Produce Inc., operating out of Denver, CO, for failing to pay a $119,808 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Eleno Cardenas was listed as the Officer, Director, and major stockholder of the business.
- PP'S Produce Distributors LLC, operating out of Dallas, TX, for failing to pay an $8,809 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Jose Abud and Daniel Esqueda were listed as members 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 part of USDA’s 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 8,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $151 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
BAKERSFIELD, CA - “Empowering our People, Protecting our Environment, and Innovating for Sustainability.” With these three core areas in focus, Sun World International is looking to achieve new corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals by the year 2022. Outlined in its first-ever corporate social responsibility report released February 20, 2018, Sun World’s new goals were designed with taking its The Better Future Project CSR program to new heights.
“With the publishing of our first corporate social responsibility report, we bring forward an element of transparency in our efforts to work towards a sustainable future,” said company CEO Merrill Dibble. “The report, which will be released annually, holds us more accountable by publicly tracking the progress to our goals, and gives our stakeholders the opportunity to understand our vision for a better future.”
Empowering our People
In regards to Sun World’s mission of empowering its people, the company announced in its report that it has a goal of training at least 2,500 farmworkers on skills that support career development and personal well-being, including ESL classes, adult education opportunities, financial asset-building courses, and interpersonal communication training. In addition, Sun World also launched a new Safety Program, which will actively incentivize safe behavior in the workplace. According to a press release, the company has exceeded its goal and achieved workplace illness and injury ratings well below the industry average year after year.
Protecting our Environment
For its environmental initiatives, Sun World shared its focus will remain on renewable energy and water conservation, as well as soil and bee health. Investing in renewable energy, the company has set aside land for solar power installations that will take place in 2018, with the goal of having 10 percent of its power generated by on-site energy sources. In the area of water conservation, efforts include the development of over 500 acres of groundwater retention ponds, from which the company will source 75 percent of its water during dry years.
Innovating for Sustainability
Sun World is taking an active stance in its mission to support soil and bee health, planting cover crop and hedgerows on at least 50 percent of its acreage. The company has plans to continue leveraging Sun World’s commitment to innovation as it develops practices towards increasing its sustainability, incorporating data-driven sustainability benchmarks, measurement, and reporting. Future goals include working towards the development of high-yielding, proprietary grapes that can be grown with lower inputs and water use, as well as developing a tool to track greenhouse gas impact and water usage.
Benchmarking for The Better Future Project was conducted in 2016, with the program officially launching on Earth Day 2017, and is led by a cross-functional committee of Sun World employees, farmworkers, scientists, engineers, non-profit organizations, and municipalities.
“The Better Future Project is beginning to shape and mold our culture here at Sun World,” Dibble concluded. “We are encouraged by our progress so far and look forward to delivering on our set goals.”
To read Sun World’s full corporate social responsibility report in its entirety, click here, and to learn more about Sun World’s The Better Future Project, visit Sun-World.com/how-we-grow.
SEATTLE, WA - It seems as though the convenience-seeking, technology-driven Amazon Go has seen enough favor that the retailer is planning six more before the year is up. The format debuted to consumers a month ago, and sources familiar with the matter told Recode that there are more to come.
While billionaire developer Rick Caruso and the expanding retail giant are said to have been in serious talks about his 600,000-square-foot store The Grove in Los Angeles, he and Amazon both declined to comment to the news source about its hosting an Amazon Go.
As a result, it is still unknown where these six new locations might open their doors, but speculation is stirring about Seattle, its original home, in addition to the Southern California region.
Lack of cashiers does not mean lack of human assistance at Amazon’s vision of brick and mortar's future—the company continues to have employees prep fresh food and ready-to-grab meals, which Recode points out is in an exposed kitchen for shoppers to see, as well as a greeter that ensures IDs are checked for the necessary items.
Another interesting twist to the expansion speculation is what it would mean for the latest stores to debut in the Los Angeles area. It was the first city to receive the expansion of the retailer’s Amazon Fresh grocery delivery service after its Seattle headquarters had refined it, and the move could ensure further that the area is the place to look for Amazon’s testing grounds.
AndNowUKnow will report on any updates for this and other intriguing stories in the buy-side and beyond for the produce industry.