FORT VALLEY, GA – With the wave of good weather the region has received, Pure Flavor, out of Peach County, Georgia, has begun construction on a greenhouse project, as we reported last August, the leveling of which was completed late last fall. Workers have dug and filled post holes and Dutch greenhouse builder Havecon has begun erecting the main structure, which, when finished, will expand across 75 acres. When the project finishes in late summer, a crop of tomatoes and seedless cucumbers will shortly follow.
“Building a high-tech greenhouse in Georgia was part of our growth strategy to extend our reach across North America. Being strategically located in Peach County allows us in some instances to have same day and next day deliveries in the southeast region,” stated Matt Mastronardi, Executive Vice-President, in a press release. "Pure Flavor researched more than 400 sites throughout North America before settling on Peach County, GA. The 75-acre greenhouse project broke ground in September 2017 and will be built in three phases of 25 acres. Phase one is expected to be completed in late Summer Greenhouse tomatoes and seedless cucumbers grown in Georgia will help breathe new life in to the category. It will help our retail (and foodservice partners) in the region to have fresher product on store shelves while maintaining consistent quality and availability year-round. In the end, it is the consumer who will benefit from great product grown in the state of Georgia.”
Mastronardi is not alone in his excitement over the project and the opportunities to connect with customers that the project will grant. Chris Veillon, Chief Marketing Officer, spoke on how the company plans to pitch the greenhouse to its consumer base.
“We are connecting our customers with the project in every way possible with frequent updates via social media, the photo gallery, and video stories shot by drone”, said Veillon. "A connected customer is an informed customer; we can’t wait to get our first plants in the greenhouse later this summer."
To follow greenhouse construction as it continues, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
BOISE, ID - Retail veteran and industry representative Alfonso Cano has been named the new Director of Floral and Produce for Albertsons Companies, the company told AndNowUKnow, and will operate out of its corporate headquarters in Boise, Idaho.
Having most recently worked with Northgate, the move is a return for Alfonso, who began his retail career as a produce clerk for Albertsons in 1991. He then worked for the Vons banner before moving to Northgate Markets, where he enjoyed getting more and more involved with the buying process until making the return to the Albertsons family.
He is an active member of the industry, having joined the Fresh Produce and Floral Council (FPFC) and United Fresh Board of Directors in 2015. He became Chairman on the FPFC Board of Directors this year.
When he isn’t devoting his time to the betterment of fresh produce, Alfonso is dedicated to his wife, Deanna, and their two daughters. While Alfonso said in his retail profile with the FPFC that he hopes one day to finish out his pursuit of higher education, he was resolved on his path in our industry.
“I was raised to have confidence in myself and to know that if you are going to be successful you have to be the best in whatever you are doing. And so that’s what I do. I am in produce and I am trying to be the best produce guy I can be,” the retail leader said.
We are excited to see how this next step helps him in pursuit of that goal. Congratulations, Alfonso, on this new chapter of your career!
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on four 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:
Taylor Produce LLC
Operating out of Rigby, ID, this company has been restricted for failing to pay a $1,327,478 award in favor of an Idaho seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Alan Taylor Produce and Alan L. Taylor were listed as members of the business.
Olympic Wholesale Produce Inc.
Operating out of Chicago, IL, this company was restricted for failing to pay a $32,751 award in favor of a Florida seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Nicholas Doumouras was listed as the officer, director and major stockholder of the business.
Tumi Produce International Corp.
Operating out of Bronx, NY, this company was restricted for failing to pay a $20,310 award in favor of a Michigan seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, William Bracho and Catherine Bracho were listed as the officers, directors and/or major stockholders of the business.
G. Hinojosa Produce Co. Inc.
Operating out of Houston, TX, this company was restricted for failing to pay a $25,547 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Teresa T. Hinojosa and Greg A. Hinojosa were listed as the officers, directors and/or major stockholders 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 8,500 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.
NEWARK, DE – With less than two months left until the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Connections: Retail event, PMA announces what’s in store for those planning to attend. This event will connect produce suppliers and business solution providers with U.S. retailers and wholesalers, like Affiliated Foods, Inc., Alpha 1 Marketing, AWG, C&S Wholesale, Fiesta Mart, HelloFresh, Meijer, Moms Organic Markets, and Wakefern, and will feature a keynote by PMA CEO Cathy Burns as well as a return of the popular UnConference format with a few new twists.
With more than 20 major produce buyers scheduled to attend, PMA’s limited registration–maxed at 180–is going fast and typically sells out in advance each year. And, with lots packed in to the two-day event, PMA is taking things up a notch this year with new activities and old favorites in the itinerary.
New to the Fresh Connections: Retail event this year is the opportunity to participate in a community service project through Philabundance and the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market. A limited number of conference participants will have the opportunity to form a shift of volunteers who will gather produce and redirect it to food-insecure neighbors in the Philadelphia area.
“Many PMA members throughout the fresh produce supply chain are adopting programs to reduce food waste in a variety of ways. In a similar manner, by participating in the Rescue Glean event you too can make a difference in the local community and bring to life PMA’s vision of bringing together the global produce and floral community to grow a healthier world,” said Joe Watson, PMA Vice President of Membership Eastern US & Canada, in a press release. “We are honored to have the opportunity to participate with our retail conference attendees.”
PMA’s participation in the Philabundance Produce Market Rescue service project is scheduled for 1-3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11, at the wholesale market. Because of the nature of the work, participation is limited to 20 conference attendees. Those interested should register early for Fresh Connections: Retail and select the Rescue Glean with Philabundance event on the registration form to maximize chances of participation.
PMA will also host a retail tour of the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market from 6:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m, with limited participation. Those interested should select the check box for the tour option online or on the registration from to register to visit the world’s largest fully enclosed, fully refrigerated wholesale produce terminal.
Also planned this year is a better than ever UnConference program that builds on last year’s success with some slight tweaks to add more value. The event will provide a forum for attendees to openly discuss challenges and opportunities in the industry, and leave attendees with actionable ideas.
“This is a great way to learn alongside other smart industry leaders, and to network with them as we embrace the challenges of the future together,” said Joe Don Zetzsche, Director of Floral and Blooms Floral Shops at H-E-B, and member of both PMA’s Board of Directors and Floral Council.
Facilitator Bill Aal, Managing Partner of UnConference.net, will be back to guide participants through interactive sessions on crowdsourced discussion topics–the second time this format will be used at Fresh Connections: Retail.
Participants in the 2017 PMA Fresh Connections: Retail event said the UnConference format allowed for interactive and thought-provoking conversations about key topics in the industry, with one Todd Bragg of Four Seasons Produce stating he “learned a lot and everyone added value to the experience.”
Attendees at the 2018 event will have the opportunity to discuss both retail and consumer trends. Discussion groups will form on-site; however, registrants will be given instructions in advance to inspire topic ideas and guide conversations. Interactive discussion groups will take place in three 50-minute blocks, with 15-minute networking breaks in between. The event will close with a culminating activity designed to help participants digest, reflect, and plan possible next steps.
In addition to growers, processors, retailers, wholesalers, and distributors, Fresh Connections: Retail participants typically include business solution providers offering services such as packaging, labeling, transportation, machinery, financing, accounting, and more.
With the Fresh Connections: Retail event set for April 11-12 at the Philadelphia Airport Marriott in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, PMA is encouraging all PMA members and prospective members to register before April 2 for the best price. For more information, visit pma.com and click events, FC: Retail.
For more on what’s up-and-coming in the produce industry, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
AVONDALE, PA – To-Jo Mushrooms has been a premier provider of mushrooms for more than 80 years. And during this time, the multi-generational company has seen its operations grow precipitously and its definition of family has expanded to include a diverse group of people and personalities. I recently had a chance to speak with Joe D’Amico to learn more about To-Jo Mushrooms’ unique culture and the ways in which To-Jo Mushrooms is more than a produce provider—it’s a family.
“To-Jo has adopted a set of core values that drives our business philosophy. Paramount among them is ‘One Team…One Family,’” Vice President Joe D’Amico explained. While our success can be attributed to management and employees working together as ‘One Team,’ we excel because we support each other, unconditionally like a family, regardless of the circumstances.”
With a commitment to caring for its team members in place, To-Jo Mushrooms is able to provide the best possible product for its partners. When you look at where To-Jo came from, and where it’s headed, the guiding principles and thought leadership of the company have always been family-driven and customer-focused. To-Jo carries on this mission today by never being satisfied with the status quo and treating everyone with respect and integrity.
“While there are many factors that have played a role in our success, the one constant is the diverse personalities of our employees, past and present, who have helped make To-Jo the company it is today,” said Joe. “We believe that what sets us apart is the ability to foster, encourage and develop the skills of a diverse and unique mix of personalities. This enables employees to take risks and give the extra effort necessary to make new ideas work. Because our employees feel respected and a part of something bigger—‘One Team...One Family’—they are empowered and open to the types of changes that are necessary for To-Jo to adapt and succeed in an uncertain and ever-changing landscape. For To-Jo Mushrooms, the more personality we have, the better.”
Through initiates and events like the company’s Values Recognition program—which recognizes employees for upholding the company’s core values—and its Annual Celebration Day—featuring an afternoon of food, music, dancing, and fun—To-Jo Mushrooms celebrates its employees. And that appreciation translates into a healthier company and superior products for its customers.
For more fresh produce news, look to AndNowUKnow.
KEASBEY, NJ – Price Rite Marketplace locations across Connecticut are undergoing several in-store changes in a rebranding effort led by the company's new President, Jim Dorey, on whom we previously reported.
“We spent a lot of time looking at our stores and thinking about ways to create the best possible shopping experience for our customers,” said Jim Dorey, President of Price Rite Marketplace according to ctpost. “Visitors [who come] to the redesigned Price Rite Marketplace stores will find a bright, refreshed space featuring new in-store signage and additions like the ‘Sweet Spot’ dessert case.”
Bridgeport, Danbury, Cromwell, New Britain, and Wethersfield locations have already undergone remodels, and construction will soon begin at Hamden, Torrington, West Hartford, and Willimantic locations.
These remodels are a reflection of intentions at an executive level of Wakefern Food Corporations, Price Rite Marketplace's parent company. The redesign feature repositioned aisle markers with clearer signage and better organized products.
“It’s definitely an easier shop now,” said Tom Vizzo, Store Manager at the Price Rite Marketplace at 4425 Main St. in Bridgeport. “Everything is more together than we used to do, and the whole program is a lot easier than what we used to do.”
Not only has Price Rite Marketplace rearranged the products on the shelf, the retailer has also shifted stocking to feature a mix of local, national, and private label products, with a focus on healthy alternatives and organics.
Bill Devin, Director of Operations for Price Rite Marketplace’s New England Market said, “We’ve taken our quality up a notch. We already had great quality, but consumers wanted healthier options. They wanted Wholesome Pantry items, which are the organic natural peanut butters and stuff like that.”
These healthy new products will come with new packaging for the in-store brand, coupons, and a partnership with Instacart. To keep following as the market adapts to a rapidly changing retail climate, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
EDINBURG, TX - J&D Produce is bringing on a stronger food safety focus by welcoming a new industry expert to its team. The company has announced Eduardo De la Fuente will join J&D as its Director of Food Safety.
De la Fuente has made a name for himself in the food industry, both in Texas and internationally. According to a press release, he has had an over 35-year tenure, with experience in various specialties including food safety, auditing, employee training, and quality-control processes.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Eduardo’s caliber join the J&D family,” shared company President Jimmy Bassetti. “Eduardo’s experience and skill set will allow us to further strengthen our food safety systems and continue delivering the highest quality and safest products to our customers.”
Also touching on the importance of quality for J&D’s fresh greens, watermelons, and the famous Honeysweet onion, as well as welcoming De la Fuente’s expertise, was James Basetti, VP of Operations.
“We have always been committed to doing things the J&D way; that means treating our employees and customers like family and delivering the highest quality products possible, with great attention to detail. Eduardo’s can-do attitude and prior work experience in the food industry fits perfectly with our company culture,” James explained. “J&D is a complex operation; we grow, ship, and pack year-round. We are constantly striving to be the best we can be. With the implementation of FSMA finally upon us, we believe Eduardo will play a critical role in helping refine our food safety programs and ensure that we remain best in class when it comes to food safety.”
AndNowUKnow would like to extend a warm welcome to De la Fuente as he joins the J&D Produce family. Here’s to more excellent quality produce in the future!
FORT VALLEY, GA – Joining forces are Lane Southern Orchards and Taylor Orchards, consolidating acreage, facilities, and innovation. The merger creates one of the largest peach and pecan operations in the States, combining packed peaches under the Lane Southern Orchards label.
“We couldn’t be more excited about opportunities this merger creates. Synergies between our farms create new efficiencies and offer further opportunity for growth,” said Lane Southern Orchards CEO Mark Sanchez and newly appointed President of Farming Operations Jeff Wainwright, according to a recent press release.
With this new merger, Taylor Orchards’ 3,000 acres of peaches and 950 acres of peanuts and soybean row crops will combine with Lane Southern Orchards’ 2,000 acres of peaches and 3,500 acres of pecans. While this consolidation makes for a huge expansion, the company’s growth looks to take on 700 acres of new peach production and 1,000 new acres for pecans by the end of 2018. In all, this will amount to over 10,000 acres for Lane Southern Orchards.
“This additional supply of peaches allows us to be a better supplier to existing customers and expand our customer base as well,” said Duke Lane III, Partner in Genuine Georgia and Director of Sales for Lane Southern Orchards. “From a sales and marketing perspective, you can engage consumers in creative ways with nearly 6,000 acres of Georgia peaches. It is going to be an exciting summer for Georgia Peaches!”
Both companies have deep roots, with Taylor Orchards’ line tracing back to the 1940s and Lane Southern Orchards’ operations going all the way back to 1908, but operations for both companies have been kept up to speed and modernized with the implementation of cutting-edge technology in growing, packing, and packaging. With so much modernization, Lane Southern Orchards has not forgotten about the simple touches that make it so uniquely desired, and every box filled with fruit is hand-picked and hand-packed for consumers.
How will this merger impact the peach market, and will it influence other industry members to merge themselves? AndNowUKnow is looking for answers to keep you up-to-date with the latest!
TUSTIN, CA – Groceries aren’t going to shop for themselves–which is how we all end up pushing double-wide carts through the Costco crowds on weekend mornings, only made better by those fresh-prepped items waiting for us in the food court at the end. And now, in competing with Amazon and other retail behemoths, Costco is entering the arena dominated by fast-food and fast-casual chains by testing ordering kiosks in its food courts at two California locations.
A Costco employee told The Orange County Register that a self-serve kiosk was installed at the Tustin District location two weeks ago, and that, so far, it’s been a “great success” with wait times cut “substantially.”
Tustin Costco shoppers can now use touch-screens at the kiosks to order and pay for food court items without having to wait in the notoriously long lines. The kiosks are part of Costco’s new efforts to keep possible diners in-store, cut down on wait times, increase order accuracy, and overall boost food court sales.
To make room for the kiosks, the Tustin Costco reduced its yellow-line section by half, which, as a result, has reduced the number of shoppers waiting along the yellow line to almost none.
With all of our favorite Costco food court items now at the touch of a fingertip–and virtually no wait time!–will Costco test self-checkout kiosks for the rest of its merchandise next, to compete with retailers embracing tech for convenience sake? AndNowUKnow will continue to report with the latest.
BAKERSFIELD, CA - Grimmway Farms is deepening its commitment to the community that supports it by partnering and supporting a new Kern County initiative, “KC’s Farm.”
The educational garden taking root at the Kern County Fairgrounds will serve as an edible schoolyard for nearby Wayside Elementary and Sequoia Middle School.
Grimmway Farms President and CEO Jeff Huckaby pledged the company’s ongoing support for educating the next generation of students and customers about the farm-to-table journey of fresh fruits and vegetables, according to a press release, as well as the benefits of healthy eating and lifestyle habits.
“Grimmway Farms grows, harvests, packs, and ships 65 varieties of fruits and vegetables,” Huckaby said at a groundbreaking ceremony featuring business, education, and nonprofit leaders on February 7th. “We want to encourage the next generation to be interested in agriculture, with a knowledge and appreciation of what it takes to be good stewards of the land.”
KC’s Farm will officially debut at Farm Day in the City in March, the program will provide weekly hands-on learning opportunities focusing on:
- Growing
- Composting
- Gardening
- Soil preparation
- Nutrition
Speaking to a coming cornerstone of this year’s Kern County Fair, September 19-30, Huckaby added, “Through KC’s Farm we can reach even more members of our community, including students, families, and the 450,000 annual visitors to the Kern County Fair.”
Grimmway Farms' Co-Owners Barbara Grimm-Marshall and Kari Grimm-Anderson are advocates and supporters of KC’s Farm. Grimmway Academy Arvin, Grimmway Academy Shafter, and the Buena Vista Edible Schoolyard are programs of the Grimm Family Education Foundation which supports initiatives to improve education and community wellness in Kern County.
Joining Grimmway Farms as “Farm Founders” are Wells Fargo, Wheeler Foundation, Friends of the Kern County Fair, and the Robert Grimm Family Foundation, with organizational planning and support from the Kern County Farm Bureau and Holaday Seed Company.
For more information on this instrumental event in furthering ag for the next generation, click here.