WATSONVILLE, CA – California Giant has announced in a press release that it will sponsor the 5th Annual Tour de Fresh this July. As this is not California Giant’s first time sponsoring the event, it hopes to build off of previous years’ experience with new elements, which will benefit riders and sponsors alike.
With the four previous years of the event having generated more than $600,000, funds which were used to provide children with access to fruits and vegetables through more than 180 salad bars in schools around the country, California Giant hopes to continue the success with this year’s event.
“It’s hard to believe we are already celebrating the 5th year of this produce industry event,” said Cindy Jewell, VP of Marketing for California Giant.
And with the fifth year, the company has made some positive changes to the event. It has decided to add a fourth day of riding and a festival at the finish line of the ride. In addition to sponsoring the event, California Giant has donated an auction item to the Bids for Kids Auction, bidding on which has already begun online, held by the United Fresh Start Gala.
The auction will conclude on January 16th, a short while before opening day of the tour on July 22nd.
For tour swag, jerseys, and more information, check out https://www.501auctions.com/unitedfreshstart.
VIDALIA, GA – With a new rebrand hitting shelves this year and consumer campaigns set to take effect throughout 2018, the future sounds sweet for the Vidalia Onion Committee.
I recently had a chance to chat with Bob Stafford, Interim Executive Director of the Vidalia Onion Committee and Manager of the Vidalia Onion Business Council, to find out more.
“This year we’re very happy to talk about a new logo, and we’ve also got a new catchphrase that we’re heavily into—only Vidalia,” Bob explains to me. “In the early part of 2018, we’re going to have a lot of promotions in…retail. You’re going to see a lot of new signage that we’re going to put out. 2018 is going to be great.”
With nearly 22 percent of the total sweet onion category accounted for by Vidalia growers, Bob notes, improvements in terms of marketing, extra-sweet variety development, and more are sure to translate into increased sales for onion sellers everywhere.
To find out more, watch our video interview above.
And to stay up-to-date on produce news, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
WAXAHACHIE, TX - A shipment of avocados tumbled onto the roadway after the truck, which had been carrying them, burst into flames according to Inside Edition. The 18-wheeler was driving down Interstate 35E outside Waxahachie, Texas, when the accident occurred.
The truck was transporting 40,000 pounds of avocados, which tumbled from the burning vehicle onto the road, blocking traffic and closing down Interstate 23, while firefighters attempted to smother the blaze. New York Daily News writes that the Texas Department of Public Safety claims that the accident appears to have been caused by a mechanical issue.
When the avocados hit the road, many of them were charred and burnt, but, fortunately, no people were harmed in the blaze. According to the Guardian the avocados were most likely headed through Texas from Mexico.
To stay informed on all avocado news, keep reading AndKnowUKnow.
AUSTIN, TX - As Whole Foods continues to integrate with Amazon and introduce more national brands to its shelves, the grocery retailer has made changes its to supply management policies in an effort to streamline its operations, continue its forward trajectory, defray costs associated with category management and merchandising, and allow the company to continue working with local suppliers, according to a recent report by the Chicago Tribune.
"For the last two years, we have been working to streamline our processes to ensure all our suppliers are supported and set up for success," said Don Clark, General Vice President of Purchasing for Nonperishables, in a statement to the Tribune. "The changes to our in-store execution and demo programs are creating a consistent, high-quality experience that benefits both our suppliers and our customers."
While Whole Foods marks changes in supplier policy as changes toward a more efficient, customer-friendly market experience, according to the Tribune, some suppliers feel that Whole Foods' changes may not be in the best interest of suppliers—particularly smaller-scale, local suppliers.
"It feels like that local, personal touch is going away. It's hard to set ourselves apart anymore in the sea of well-known national brands," said Valerie Gray, maker of Italian Heart’s Gourmet Foods pasta sauce, who sells her product to the Whole Foods in Reno, Nevada.
Under the company’s new rules, Whole Foods will require a three to five percent discount from suppliers who sell $300,000 of goods annually to pay for this service, reported the Chicago Tribune. Whole Foods sees this trade off as necessary to further propel the business and promote the local partnerships it now has, but many suppliers feel differently.
Whole Foods suppliers will work exclusively with Stamford, Connecticut-based retail strategy firm Daymon and its subsidiary, SAS Retail Services, to schedule in-store tastings, check inventory on shelves, and create displays on the behalf of vendors.
How will Amazon's push to make Whole Foods more accessible to a wider audience shape both brands' identities in the coming years?
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for updates.
SAN DIEGO, CA - It’s not everyday that we get to feel the impact of our work endeavors throughout our communities. United Fresh Start Foundation is creating new and exciting ways for our industry to reach beyond our everyday happenings and into the lives of those around us to create healthier and happier habits with its inaugural Annual Conference and Gala, which runs January 16-18.
Here to give me the inside scoop on how these events are biting into the eating habits felt throughout the communities we serve is Kate Olender, United Fresh Start Foundation’s Senior Director of Health & Wellness.
Q: What is/are the event(s), when will they be held, where will they be held?
Kate Olender: The inaugural United Fresh Start Foundation Annual Conference will take place this January 16-18 at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, California. Kicking off Tuesday, January 16th, the event features the annual United Fresh Start Foundation Golf Tournament, where retail and foodservice executives will spend the morning on the course with industry leaders. That evening, there will be a silent and live auction during the United Fresh Start Foundation Gala reception and dinner. This year, United Fresh will be honoring H-E-B’s Group Vice President of Produce Procurement Hugh Topper with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Proceeds from the golf tournament and the silent and live auctions benefit the United Fresh Start Foundation and its mission to increase children’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
To maximize support opportunities for the industry, anyone interested in supporting our mission can participate in the silent auction, even if they aren’t attending the event! However, we’ve saved some of the best items and opportunities for the live auction taking place during the gala dinner.
To register to bid in the silent auction or to prepare to bid in the live auction, visit https://www.501auctions.com/unitedfreshstart. I encourage everyone to check it out as there are lots of great items, experiences, and business opportunities available. New this year, Wednesday, January 17th features the Breakfast & General Session in addition to our traditional volunteer leaders’ meetings and meals, where three panels of industry leaders will share case studies and insights on how and why they are engaging within their schools, communities, and businesses to advance the mission of the Foundation.
Q: What is the impact of an event like the inaugural United Fresh Start Foundation’s Annual Golf Tournament and Gala?
KO: Still in its first couple of years, the United Fresh Start Foundation has made a significant impact on the way kids across the country are interacting with fresh fruits and vegetables, but there’s much more work to do! The golf tournament and the new Bids for Kids auction raises funds so our foundation can increase children’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables through existing programs, such as Salad Bars to Schools and the Community Grant Program. In 2017 alone, the foundation helped over 30,000 kids through our community grants program and helped donate 400 salad bars to cafeterias. We’re excited to reach even more kids through current and new programs this coming year, and a successful event in January will help us achieve greater impact.
Q: What are the goals of the event and how do you hope to affect change in the industry?
KO: The event aims to rally our industry around the mission of the foundation and to inspire everyone to get involved in increasing children’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Our new education sessions showcase the incredible ways our industry is already increasing access; they also feature other ideas for how we can continue increasing access now and in the future. We hope that attendees will be inspired and energized by all the opportunity and will commit to supporting the mission both personally and professionally.
Q: Why do you believe businesses should get involved in this event, and rally around the cause?
KO: Absolutely! From a business perspective, ensuring that kids grow up with access to fresh produce means they’re more likely to become lifelong consumers of fruits and vegetables. More importantly, our industry is poised to play a unique role in solving many important health issues, like hunger, obesity, and diabetes. As businesses, we can help address these issues through our distinct roles in shaping the food landscape.
And there are immediate and actionable benefits to participating. The event hosts the January meeting of United Fresh’s volunteer leaders’ boards and councils. As businesses advance their missions to stay relevant in the industry, they will not want to miss the opportunity to network with Association leadership. Whether on the golf course, at the gala reception and dinner, or in volunteer meetings, the networking opportunities are ample.
Q: What programs will this support, and how do these events assist in the health and wellness of the region when paired with the industry’s top professionals?
KO: The United Fresh Start Foundation fulfills its mission to increase children’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables by focusing on three core mission areas: in schools, in communities, and in our businesses. Each of these focus areas include a variety of initiatives to fulfill our mission, such as Salad Bars to Schools, where we contribute salad bars to school cafeterias; the Community Grants Program, where we provide community organizations with funds to increase children’s access to produce beyond the school day; and the School Foodservice Forum, where school foodservice members gain insights and build relationships with our industry so they can best serve fresh fruits and vegetables to kids in school. We have a lot of new programs on the horizon as well!
Q: What is the history behind this event?
KO: United Fresh has been hosting winter leadership meetings for over a decade. With the growing significance of the United Fresh Start Foundation’s work, the January meeting has transitioned to focus more on the opportunities for the industry to get involved with the foundation, which is now the host of the meeting. United Fresh has maintained a number of their traditional events with the perspective that the more the industry can learn, engage, and participate with the Foundation in a valuable and meaningful way, the more the industry and the organizations will benefit.
Our volunteer leaders look forward to this event each January, as do their industry peers who come to network, play golf, celebrate, and learn. We welcome everyone to join us in San Diego—especially if you’re currently experiencing the cold temps of winter weather. We promise it will be nicer than where you might be now!
To learn more about how you can attend or get involved, check out our link for more details: http://www.unitedfreshstart.org/support-our- cause/foundation-annual- conference-and-gala/
MONTEREY, CA – Working to encourage sustainable practices and drive ahead fresh produce, PRO*ACT has announced the expansion of its local farm grant program Cultivating Change.
“The Cultivating Change grants make it possible for local farmers to fund projects which invest in their current and future operations,” said Max Yeater, PRO*ACT President and CEO. "The improvements pave a sustainable path for the next generation of farmers. We are proud to give back to farms that make such a large contribution to their local community.”
According to a company press release, PRO*ACT has increased its Cultivating Change program to $75,000. Farmers nationwide can now apply for funds to invest in their farms and grow their overall capacity. Applications for this year’s grant program were accepted until December 15, 2017, panel review and popular voting will be conducted January 1–31, 2018, and winners will be announced on February 5, 2018.
Funds have enabled past winners to achieve sustainability goals such as rainwater collection systems, building sustainable greenhouse operations, and launching farm-to-school programs.
“With the grant, we were able to alleviate 4,000 gallons a day of water that we were pulling from the city and our community,” said Scott Rickstrew, General Manager of Manor, Texas-based Leaf Safari, a grant recipient who used PRO*ACT’s $10,000 award to build a rainwater collection system.
PRO*ACT’s sustainability program, Greener Fields Together, launched the Cultivating Change grant program in 2015. In just two years, the funding has positively impacted more than twenty farms. PRO*ACT will have invested $200,000 in local farms from coast to coast by the end of its 2018 grant cycle.
Complete application guidelines, stories of past winners, and eligibility details are available online at www.cultivatingchange.org.
For more on important programs driving success in fresh produce growing, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
EDINBURG, TX – It’s that time of year again when eating healthy is on everyone’s mind, as the New Year offers the perfect time to start anew. And for those looking for something fresh and leafy to satisfy hunger cravings, greens hailing from the Lone Star State are a nutritionally rich option, delicious cooked or raw, that are in season and taking on the grocery aisle.
I caught up with Little Bear Produce’s Jeff Brechler to chat about the current Texas greens season.
“We’re currently a solid two months into the season, which means we’re about one-third of the way through our vegetable production in Texas,” Jeff tells me. “Quality has been above average despite the few bouts of weather that has primarily affected growth. But markets are good and active, and we’re expecting a spike both in market and demand due to weather affecting other growing regions.”
Between the California fires and the southeastern storms, weather has given everyone quite the time across the United States, Texas included, as they continue to face frequent freezes and its second snowfall of two to four inches in the past 114 years. But, despite these challenges, Jeff notes that sales dollars are up this year over last.
“It’s been a wild ride this year,” Jeff shares. “November and December are cooler in temperature, and slow growth of product has manifested as a result. While we are ahead of ourselves harvest-wise, the slow growth is starting to affect our yield. We’re having to harvest when the plant is much younger. However, given that sales dollars are up this year, and the lower yields indicate stronger pricing.”
With months left in the season, Texas greens’ presence on grocery shelves is far from over. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for more crop and market updates.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Target is backing away from its partnership with Instacart, now that it has acquired its own delivery arm through Shipt. As we reported previously, the retailer acquired Shipt for $550 million last month.
"We want to offer a great experience through Shipt," Target’s Senior Manager of Communications/PR, Eddie Baeb, said, according to the StarTribune. "So obviously that's where we're going to focus going forward."
While he confirmed plans to exit its Instacart partnership, Baeb told the news source that there is no set timeline when delivery via Instacart from Target stores will end. Currently, the service is offered in Twin Cities, Chicago, and San Francisco.
As for Instacart, while the company declined to comment at the time of the article, a source familiar with the matter told StarTribune that Target's Instacart business in those three markets account for less than 1 percent of the delivery company’s entire volume.
Instacart’s partners also include Costco, Whole Foods, and Cub Foods, among others.
What other effects will Target’s latest acquisition have on its operations, and the rest of our industry? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
NASHVILLE, TN - The Annual American Farm Bureau Convention welcomed President Donald Trump to close out its General Session in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday, in which the leader took the opportunity to restate his commitment to farmers and rural America. Trump is the first president to address the convention in 25 years.
With Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Tennessee lawmakers by his side, Trump signed two executive orders designed to increase the reach of broadband into rural areas and to support broadband tower facilities in rural America, according to CBS News. During his address to the convention, Trump argued that these moves, along with the recently introduced Republican tax law, would allow more farmers to keep money in their pockets and reinvest in their companies.
"In every decision we make, we are honoring America's proud farming legacy," Trump said. "Years of crushing taxes, crippling regulations, and corrupt politics left our communities hurting, our economy stagnant, and millions of hardworking Americans completely forgotten. But they, guess what, are not forgotten anymore."
This speech and the executive orders focused on improving rural broadband connectivity come on the heels of Monday’s report from Trump's rural America task force, which highlighted the need for better internet access. According to the Federal Communications Commission's 2016 Broadband Progress Report, 39 percent of rural Americans—roughly 23 million people—lack access to high-speed internet.
"That is why today in a few minutes I will take the first step to expand access to broadband internet in rural America so you can compete on a level playing field, which you were not able to do. Not fair," the President said.
Trump also took a few moments to discuss his administration’s progress in renegotiating NAFTA. He told the crowd, that the deal is "under negotiation as we speak." Senior administration officials told reporters Friday that the administration would be sure to see that rural U.S. agriculture interests are fairly treated and have access to global markets, according to CBS.
To learn more about President Trump’s address to the American Farm Bureau, read the full transcript on the White House website here.
FISHERS, NY – In acknowledgement of the New York Apple Association’s (NYAA) quality, leadership, and innovation in production agriculture and agribusiness in New York State, the New York State Agricultural Society (NYSAS) awarded it with the Business of the Year Award for 2018 in a ceremony in Syracuse.
“NYAA is pleased and honored to receive this notable acknowledgment,” said NYAA's CEO, Cynthia Haskins, in a press release. “To be recognized by the New York State Agricultural Society is one of our Association’s finest highlights and we are proud with gratitude.”
The NYAA received this award, not only on its own behalf, but on behalf of the New York’s 700 apple growers, with whom it has worked to promote the state’s apple industry.
“This award recognizes qualities New York growers, board members, and staff demonstrate daily in their commitment to promoting New York apples,” said NYAA Board Chairman Jason Woodworth of Lamont Fruit Farm, Inc. (District 6 - Orleans County).
NYAA works with New York’s apple growers to reach customers through a variety of means—including television, radio, and social media—to promote not only the distinct flavor of New York apples, but also to promote ciders, sauces, and custom products. With the receipt of this award, NYAA joins the ranks of previous recipients including Chobani, Hudson Valley Fresh, and Eden Valley Growers, Inc.