DINUBA, CA - Winter revved up in California earlier this week, following a dry December. Dan Kass, VP of Sales & Business Development for Suntreat, took the time to share his insights with me as I checked in on how citrus is doing amidst the recent storms.
“I haven’t heard about the snow in the mountains, which is our main water source,” he clarifies, following an exclamation of “good rains this week!”
In Sacramento, I can attest that it didn’t let up Sunday evening through early Wednesday, and in the state’s Central Valley growing regions, Dan shares it was much the same.
“Rain delays the harvest, as we can’t pick when it’s wet,” he explains. “But, with two days of rain, there will only be minor issues supplying customers.”
As for the conditions of the fruit itself, Suntreat reports that it is in the clear. Dan said that the team saw no negative impacts on any crop on the trees, and echoed the feeling of all Californians hoping not to revisit drought conditions: “We always welcome rain in California!”
As we reported in one of our last exclusives for 2017, Suntreat just announced an expansion of its Sumo Citrus® Program, and is looking forward to more growth this year.
Continue to follow AndNowUknow as we monitor Mother Nature’s sway on all key commodities in fresh produce.
SANTA CLARA, CA – California startup Robomart has unveiled a driverless, electric, mobile grocery store, which delivers fresh produce to consumers at a rate heavily discounted from traditional grocery stores according to the Digital Journal. This innovation comes in response to the difficulties brick-and-mortar grocers have faced in selling perishables through delivery services. The service will operate through an Uber-like app that offers check-out free shopping.
“I believe we’re creating a new category,” Ahmed Founder of Robomart said, according to Tech Crunch. “We think we’re competing with the sidewalk robots.”
This new category of technology features the following, according to Robomart’s webpage:
- State-of-the-art, patent pending technology to enable fully autonomous grocery shopping
- Completely autonomous, level 5, self-driving vehicles that require no safety driver
- Fully electric vehicles that are incredibly environmentally friendly and leave a green footprint
- Equipped with the latest cutting edge technology to access completely wireless EV charging
Robomart allows customers to individually select their produce, which Robomart found to be a primary concern with standard grocery delivery. Robomart prototypes are available for retailers’ testing in the San Francisco Bay Area. According to Engadget, consumers can expect to see a Robomart pilot program in the Bay Area this summer.
FLORIDA - Aldi is doubling down on its commitment to growth in Florida with a statewide hiring event that seeks to add an additional 400 employees to its ranks. Today, Thursday, January 11, each of the chain’s 115 locations in the state will host in-store interviews, between 7:00 a.m. and noon, and from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
During the event, Aldi will be seeking to hire store associates, shift managers, and manager trainees, according to an Aldi press release. Potential applicants must be 18 years or older, have a high school diploma or GED, pass a drug screening and background check, able to lift 45 pounds, and must be available to work between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m.
Aldi, a grocery chain with more than 1,700 stores nationwide, start wages for new hires at $12.00 an hour for store associates, $16.50 per hour for shift managers, and $48,920 a year for manager trainees. Aldi also invites employees to participate in the company's 401(k) program.
Aldi’s growth plans in Florida are part of the $3.4 billion expansion plan the retailer laid out last year, outlining a goal of expanding its total number of grocery stores to 2,500 by the end of 2022.
“We pioneered a grocery model built around value, convenience, quality, and selection,” said CEO Jason Hart. “And now Aldi is one of America’s favorite and fastest growing retailers. We’re growing at a time when other retailers are struggling. We are giving our customers what they want, which is more organic produce, antibiotic-free meats, and fresh healthier options across the store–all at unmatched prices up to 50 percent lower than traditional grocery stores.”
The company predicts the expansion will create a total of 25,000 jobs in stores, warehouses, and offices when complete.
LOS ALAMITOS, CA – Arguably the best holiday is right around the corner: Valentine’s Day! Now that love is in bloom, Frieda’s is providing some resolve for lovers looking to sweeten up the holiday with delicious eats. The company suggests cross-merchandising top-selling, value-added produce items with its ready-to-eat French Style Crêpes to boost sales.
“Our top retail clients suggested that we design these space-saving display units,” said Alex Jackson Berkley, Assistant Sales Manager, in a press release. “We also found that the stand-up displays draw attention to other produce around the area and not just to the crêpe packages themselves. They definitely work well with berries and also with tropical fruits and citrus.”
The item pairs well with jams and looks beautiful when placed in a center of the aisles to grab the hearts, and stomachs, of those looking to create a special dish this season. Lovers who wish to make a sweet gesture for their sweethearts can look to this item since, historically, the holiday of L-O-V-E heralds crêpes as a go-to item.
Wondering how your retail space is going to manage the item in-store? The company designed an instant display unit, which holds four 12/5 oz. cases of the shelf-stable, ready-to-eat treats. Also eye-catching is the bright, fun design that dresses up the packaging, attracting impulse buyers with its how-to instructions.
Retailers looking to stock up on the item for their customers can get in touch with a Frieda’s manager today for lovely deals on these sweet crêpes and their displays, as well as other Valentine’s Day promotion ideas.
For more news like this, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
ONTARIO, CA – After more than 20 years in fresh food—supplying restaurants with the best possible product—FiveStar Gourmet has taken to retail—with a fresh brand and value-added line of salads, veggies, and meal solutions.
I spoke with CEO Tal Shoshan about the company’s roots in the restaurant business and its Simply Fresh retail brand.
“FiveStar Gourmet has been in the food industry for twenty years,” Tal explains. “Our brand Simply Fresh is really a brand promise. It was our attempt to bring to the market the very best, the most innovative, and the highest…quality product possible.”
With a line inclusive of packaged salads, snack packs, value-added veggie kits, and complete packaged meals, Tal notes, the Simply Fresh brand provides everything a produce aisle needs to stock a grab-and-go case.
“Our approach is really making our food as if we were making it in a restaurant,” Tal adds. “We’re doing a lot of things that not only taste good, but they look beautiful.”
Check out our complete video interview above for more. And stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for more exclusive video content.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – After more than thirty years of research and development, and a year of anticipation, tearless onions are set to take the category by storm, adding pep to sweet and savory dishes.
I spoke to Lyndon Johnson, Bayer Crop Science USA’s Crop Sales Manager, Onions, to find out more about Sunions—a sweet storage onion that dispenses with the tears and astringency some associate with onions.
“Sunions is a storage onion that becomes less pungent, [more] sweet, and tearless over time—during storage,” Lyndon explains, noting the great lengths Sunions’ developers have gone through to bring the sweetest possible experience while sparing your eyes. “The onions will go through a rigorous taste panel—both from a human taste experience standpoint and a test kitchen standpoint—so we will identify when Sunions is proper and ready for release in terms of tearlessness and sweetness.”
Lyndon tells me that, when quantities and quality are ready to meet demand, Sunions will be available through Onions 52, Generation Farms, and Peri & Sons Farms. And retailers will, I'm sure, reap ample rewards, provided they can keep curious consumers from biting into Sunions, as if they were apples, in the produce department.
For more, see our complete video interview above.
And for more video news on new and innovative produce products, keep watching AndNowUKnow.
EMERYVILLE, CA - Starting 2018 in a big way is Grocery Outlet. The retail chain is welcoming 25 new stores to its family of 270 privately-owned supermarkets. The new branches of the family-managed company will be opened throughout the U.S.’s Western states and in Pennsylvania.
"Each one of our stores is independently owned and operated locally in that market," said Vice President of Marketing, Layla Kasha, according to Forbes. "We’re not another big company that’s just stomping out a bunch of stores. We are really a partner in the community on every level."
The industry-known "extreme value" retailer, which sticks to the 20,000-foot-range and has stores about half the size of most retailers, is adding its 25 new stores throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Pennsylvania. The company seems to be zeroing in on the Southern California region, Forbes said, with over a dozen new stores slated for the relatively-new-to-Grocery-Outlet Los Angeles-area.
The business plan behind Grocery Outlet allows entrepreneurial spirits to tap into the grocery business, as it trains and preps them for their independently-operated store. Further, these new operators don’t have to invest in a new store, refurbish a retail location that is already in existence, or worry about purchasing inventory.
According to Forbes, the chain’s sales shot from $500 million in 2001 to $2 billion in 2016.
How will the addition of these new stores assist in the company’s continued and exponential growth? AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you in-the-loop with the latest.
PASADENA, CA – Resolutions for healthier, better eating habits have the produce aisle popping this month, and Sun Pacific’s citrus is no exception. The company reported its Vintage Sweets specialty citrus brand saw an increase in sales as it rang in 2018.
“Retailers are excited to highlight the growing story of Vintage Sweets being hand-picked from our best old-line groves, where we are testing for peak sugar levels and the perfect flavor,” said Howard Nager, VP Marketing & Business Development.
The Vintage Sweets brand is verified by the Non-GMO Project, an increasingly important attribute to consumers. The oranges themselves are selected from 100-year-old trees, being chosen using sensory aspects like touch, feel, smell, and taste. According to a press release, the team also uses a scientific approach, testing the sugar levels to ensure juicy, sweet-tasting fruit.
“Specialty citrus continues to increase its share of the citrus category, and Vintage Sweets present a terrific complement and co-merchandising item with our Cuties and Cara Cara Navel oranges,” Nager said. “As the largest independent navel grower in the U.S., we have good supply and excellent quality to meet the needs of our retail consumers.”
The branding presents a striking black-and-orange, vintage look for its packaging and merchandisers set the expectation of a “premium experience” that stands out in the produce department.
“The sharp graphics and display materials highlight this fruit and put it front and center for impulse purchases,” Nager says.
Vintage Sweets are available in:
- Bulk
- 3-pound bags
- 6-count shrink-wrapped trays
Vintage Sweets Heirloom Navel Oranges made their debut in January of 2015. Marketed as a premium navel brand to consumers looking for superior taste, sweetness, and eating experience, more information can be found by visiting https://sunpacific.com/vintage-sweets/.
CASHMERE, WA – Crunch Pak™ will sponsor the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival’s first official app, which is set to launch on January 15th. This app will provide information on all things concerning the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival: official events, parking and traffic, contests, and FAQs.
“The Official Apple Blossom Festival App brought to you by Crunch Pak is a great way to support our community in a tangible way,” said Megan Wade, Marketing and Product Manager for Crunch Pak in a recent press release.
Users of the app will even have the option to vote for Most Original Speech in the Royalty Selection Pageant on February 15th, the company says.
In addition to sponsoring the app, Crunch Pak will attend several festival events—the Keyes Youth Parade, the Funtastic Shows Carnival, the 23rd Annual Apple Blossom Golf Tournament, and the Memorial Park Food Fair—where it will hand out products.
Darci Christoferson, Festival Administrator, said, “We rely on partners like Crunch Pak to help create a bigger and better festival experience every year. The new app is a way to make it even easier for people to attend festival events and have all the information at their fingertips.”
For more information about the app visit http://www.appleblossom.org, and to stay in the know on all produce news, keep reading AndKnowUKnow.
AUSTIN, TX – Since Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods Market last year, all eyes have been on the retailer and its approach to grocery and online delivery. And while many have asked about the place of Whole Foods products amidst AmazonFresh grocery offerings, it wasn’t until this week that the retailer added Whole Foods goods to the list of those that qualify for fast free shipping for Prime members.
Prime members now can receive free same-day shipping and one-day shipping on Whole Foods items, like Whole Foods 365 brand products, meat, and alcohol, as well as an additional 10,000 offerings Amazon-wide, according to Food & Wine.
Now Amazon Prime members can receive healthy and fresh Whole Foods products within 2-hour delivery windows on qualifying purchases of $35 or more.
With the most recent addition of Whole Foods items to Prime members’ perks, will Amazon’s latest strategy to takeover grocery delivery be a success? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.