DINUBA, CA – Continuing on its track towards major growth, AC Foods is welcoming citrus industry veteran Daniel Kass, taking on the role of Vice President of Sales & Business Development. With the move, AC Foods, is further bolstering its family of citrus companies, including Suntreat and Sumo Citrus®.
“I am excited to start this new challenge with AC Foods as it expands its global citrus footprint as a full range, one-stop-shop program supply destination,” said Kass upon being appointed to the role. “Suntreat is continuing to add acreage in Sumo Citrus, Cara Caras, Blood Orange-Navals, and Golden Nuggets, and just finished a build out of AC Foods Legacy Packing. This buildout puts us 20 years ahead of the global industry in terms of food safety, product handling, and traceability; the future is incredibly exciting as we focus on supplying healthy, sustainable products to North America and the World.”
Kass has an array of experience he’s gained from over 20 years within the global citrus industry, including representing such well-known brands as Dole Citrus and Wonderful Halos, where, according to a press release, he was instrumental in launching an independent sales organization to international markets. With a passion for connecting growers with customers around the world Kass has also worked as Secretary of the California Citrus Quality Council, where he garnered skills relating such market access issues as phytosanitary, food safety, food additive, and pesticide regulations.
“AC Foods has hired a proven leader in Daniel Kass to guide our citrus sales team,” said company President Darren Filkins. “He has proven his ability to build programs that align perfectly with our aggressive growth strategy. We plan on using Daniel’s over twenty years of global citrus sales to build our export and domestic U.S. business. With our success with Sumo Citrus, Suntreat Citrus, and other special citrus items, along with our existing sales and marketing teams, we have laid a strong foundation to support Daniel to offer our best-in-class service and quality commitment to our customers.”
Kass was born and raised in Hartford, CT, and graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Business Administration, and later, after joining Florida’s citrus industry, completed his M.B.A at Florida Tech.
Congratulations from the team at AndNowUKnow for this next big step in your produce industry career!
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The produce buyers on Meijer’s team have collected their insights from both behind the scenes and the front lines to bring us a list of the fruits and vegetables they can see jazzing up the traditional Thanksgiving offerings.
“Every good cook, from your grandmother to a Michelin-starred chef, knows it's never a good idea to spring a new dish on your guests during important meals like Thanksgiving. But what if you are dying to jazz up things a bit, yet still stay true to tradition?” the retailer said in a press release.
From gourds to greens, and everything in between, here are some of the things Meijers produce leaders suggest.
Stalk Brussels Sprouts:
This year's crop come from California-based Ippolito Produce. Serving Brussels sprouts on the stalk is popular in the culinary world, Meijer noted, because it makes a great presentation and is a fun addition to a holiday table. Stalk Brussels sprouts roast nicely and come off the stalk with ease.
Pazzazz Apple:
You might recall we recently reported on this new apple variety, and we’re stoked to see it is Meijer buyers' featured apple for November–part of the company's "branch out" program.
Extremely crisp and described having an intense burst of sweet and tart flavors, Meijer’s buyers suggest consumers poach, roast, or bake the Pazzazz apple to enhance its naturally sweet flavor.
Not only does the large size make it ideal for making stuffed apple preparations, but the retailer commented that it can be sliced to utilize the skin in showcasing its unique coloring.
Its flavor pairs well with pork, sweet potatoes, pears, honey, sharp cheeses, winter squashes, and pecans, as well as warm spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom.
Creamer Potatoes:
Described as a small potato variety that is thinned skinned, rich in flavor, nutritious, and easy to prepare, the retailer suggested a number of Thanksgiving creamer potato recipes for shoppers to try this holiday. Creamer Potato Producer, The Little Potato Company, recently opened a new processing facility in DeForest, Wisconsin.
Red & White Sweet Potatoes:
It’s no secret that, despite the semi-recent discovery of their versatility in day-to-day use, sweet potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple. Meijer produce buyers report that consumers are increasingly excited to try different varieties this Thanksgiving.
This year's buyer picks are the "Red Diane," regarded as an "heirloom" sweet potato, and "Bonita," a varietal favorite this season. A Red Diane has dark red skin and deep orange flesh, best used in recipes that call for mashed or grated sweet potatoes such as pies, cakes, and breads due to its high moisture content.
The Bonita, with tan skin and white flesh, has high sugar content and a nutty flavor. It is perfect for baking and frying. Red Diane and Bonita sweet potatoes come from Garcia Farms in California.
Butterkin Squash:
A cross between a pumpkin and butternut squash, described as being sweeter tasting than butternut squash, this spin to the guard family is less stringy and has a creamier texture. The Meijer team suggests consumers try substituting this squash variety into traditional dishes this Thanksgiving.
Cooking tip: Those who use this might want to reduce the sugar in the recipe to balance the flavor of this sweeter tasting variety.
Meijer sources Butterkin Squashes from local Michigan Grower by E. Miedema and Sons.
Go to More for A Healthier You, and search "Thanksgiving" for new recipes for even more Thanksgiving and holiday inspirations to push produce into the spotlight this year and beyond.
DELTA, OH – NatureFresh™ Farms hosted its first-ever Open House this month—opening its doors to community members and educating those who live and work around its new Ohio facilities on the company’s growing practices.
“The Ohio community has been extremely supportive throughout the entire build, and we have continuously received many inquiries from our neighbors wanting a chance to take a look behind the glass,” noted John Ketler, General Manager, in a press release. “Education is a key component of who we are and we wanted to ensure that our neighbors had a chance to see exactly how we grow; from seedling to harvest.”
The NatureFresh Open House was held on November 15th and 16th. The company noted the that response was both “stunning and humbling.” The NatureFresh team had initially planned a one-day event, but within days of registration opening, the company had exceeded its allotted schedule—with well over 1,000 people registered to tour the company’s Delta, Ohio, facility.
“For us, it’s more than just existing in Delta. We want to be an active partner in the community. It is important for us to show our neighbors how we grow and provide total transparency,” said Peter Quiring, President and CEO. “We had school groups, senior homes, care facilities, farming clubs, and many families come out. It was great to be able to show everyone exactly where the produce they have sitting on their kitchen table comes from.”
With interactive sessions, the NatureFresh team was able to give individuals a firsthand understanding of greenhouse growing techniques such as the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system and the growing medium.
“The feedback we received after the event was phenomenal,” added Ketler. “The community was amazed by everything from the scope and technology incorporated in the facility to the flavor of the tomatoes. Overall, we couldn’t have asked for a better event.”
The company also noted that—in keeping with its motto, coined by Quiring, “We don’t just grow produce, we grow people”—NatureFresh partnered with JJ Safe House and Open Doors Delta to raise awareness and funds for the local charities. With produce being sold for $2 an item, approximately $2,000 was raised in addition to over 3,000 lbs of produce being donated to the charities to help support local families having a healthier and happier Thanksgiving.
For more on community initiative and companies giving back and growing ties in the produce industry, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Joseph Procacci, the produce legend famous for bringing Santa Sweets Grape tomatoes and UglyRipe® heirloom tomatoes to the United States tomato market, has passed away at the age of 90.
Despite being a larger than life presence in the Produce industry, his survivors at Procacci Brothers noted that Joe Procacci was a private man: quiet, humble, and widely viewed as a consummate gentleman. Whenever praise or accolades were bestowed on Joe for his many successes he was unfailingly modest and gracious, always crediting the contributions of others.
In early September when he stepped down as CEO of Procacci Holdings LLC, Joe Procacci stated, “I’ve been blessed with honest, hardworking employees and uncommonly loyal customers. It’s been a great honor to work with and alongside so many great people. I am extremely proud to be passing this honor and privilege on to my son, J.M., and hope that someday, he will be able to do the same with his son.”
At the age of 8, Procacci began selling produce in the streets of Camden from his father’s pushcart. From those humble roots, Procacci became an industry giant, building a vertically-integrated produce powerhouse that develops its own seeds, grows, packs, and distributes produce, and supplies roughly ten percent of the fresh tomatoes in the United States.
“Throughout his life, my Dad was a successful and innovative businessman, dedicated to fulfilling his customers’ needs. He was a fearless and relentless leader in our industry. If the Produce industry ever opened a Hall of Fame, my Dad would be our Babe Ruth,” said Joe's son J.M. Procacci, CEO of Procacci Brothers. “When I was 10 years old, Dad gave in to my requests and started bringing me to work with him when I was off from school. For more than 50 years I’ve had the incredible privilege of working alongside him. Dad lived a remarkable and full life—one where he was revered in his profession and adored by his family. By the grace of God, Dad recently got to meet the Procacci family’s newest member, his first great-grandchild. He’ll be missed by colleagues, friends, and loved ones far more than I can properly put into words.”
As CEO and Chairman of Procacci Brothers, Joe Procacci had a pronounced impact on shaping the Produce industry as we know it today. Joe was a driving force in pallet standardization, grading standards, food safety, trade agreements, and the company noted, he is credited with single handedly preserving the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
As the exclusive distributor of the authentic Santa Sweets Santa F1 variety, Joe introduced the national US consumer market to Grape Tomatoes in the late-nineties. At that same time, Joe defied consensus when the company he led introduced a high-flavor, vine-ripened tomato, developed over 20 years, that could be shipped to markets all over the country—the UglyRipe tomato, an heirloom, beefsteak-style tomato with distinctive ribbed shoulders and meaty flesh.
Throughout his distinguished career, Joe Procacci served on many executive boards, including as chairman of the United Government Relations Committee, the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, and National Association of Perishable Agriculture Receivers (NAPAR). Recently, Joe was a leading figure in the opening of the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market, the nation’s largest fully-enclosed, fully-refrigerated, wholesale produce terminal.
Joe’s impact on the Produce industry did not go unnoticed by his peers. The many honors he earned include The Packer Produce Man of the Year, Eastern Produce Council Man of the Year, NAPAR Receiver of the Year and the United Fresh Lifetime Achievement Award. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Teresa, his son J.M., daughters Loretta and Rita, 10 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, his brothers Michael and Sam, and his sister Rose.
We at AndNowUKnow offer our condolences to those affected by Joe’s passing.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Raley’s is celebrating its newest award for contributions to the industry and a specific partnering brand. Amaize™ Sweet Corn honored the retailer with its 2017 Amaize Sweet Corn Retailer of the Year Award, due to its dedication to supporting both the program and white sweet corn.
“As a long term partner, we know Amaize is an outstanding product and our stores and customers anticipate the excitement of this item hitting our produce departments each year,” said Greg Corrigan, Senior Director of Produce at Raley’s, in an Amaize press release. “We are honored to accept this award, and look forward to many more successful Amaize seasons to come!”
In 2012, the retailer was the first to carry the incredibly sweet Amaze corn on the West Coast and has since gone on to develop a loyal consumer demand thanks to its enthusiastic support of the program across the retailer’s banners. Some of the ways Raley’s shows its prominent support of the sweet corn brand is by providing produce manager training, point-of-sale signage, social media posts, local radio exposure, and a public relations strategy, which led to Amaize’s corn breeder George Crookham joining a Good Day Sacramento segment.
“The Raley’s team has done a fantastic job getting behind the Amaize program for many years,” said Crookham, CEO of Crookham Company. “We are very pleased to work with them and appreciate all of their efforts in supporting Amaize.”
This award gives the industry a peak behind the curtain to see just how strong the retailer's relationship is with just one of the brands it offers consumers.
Congratulations to Raley’s for its contributions to the growth of Amaize’s program and its dedication to supporting those who contribute to our industry!
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Looking back proudly on its 2016 sustainability efforts, SpartanNash has released a new report detailing its investments in advancing social responsibility and environmental sustainability. Upon releasing its 2016 Corporate Responsibility Report, SpartanNash has revealed insights on exactly how the retailer and grocery distributor has cultivated its vision of being “a best-in-class business that feels local, where relationships matter.”
“At SpartanNash, we are mindful that our business decisions, products, services, and operations have a direct impact on the environment, our communities, customers, and coworkers, which make up our company’s corporate responsibility commitment,” President and CEO Dave Staples said. “At SpartanNash, we are investing in today, to ensure a better tomorrow—and we hope that the 2016 CR Report inspires others to join us on this journey.”
To view SpartanNash’s full report, visit SpartanNash.com/CR-Report, and check out the following key highlights as detailed in the company’s press release below:
- Associate and food safety programs to ensure safe work places and quality food in every aisle of the store or U.S. military commissary or exchange
- Training and development and diversity and inclusion efforts for our associates to realize their career aspirations
- Support of nearly 2,000 locally grown and locally made items and the farmers and businesses that supply these items
- Community health and wellness initiatives, including Double Up Food Bucks™, Opioid Safety Project, and Regional Wellness Specialists
- Volunteering efforts totaling 20,234 hours and $456,276 in economic impact
- $1.4 million in corporate giving initiatives, including $100,000 through the Direct Your Dollars™ program
- $1.8 million awarded to community nonprofits by the SpartanNash Foundation
- 5.525 million pounds of product donated to community food pantries and local nonprofits
- 51.9 million pounds of materials diverted from landfills through our recycling efforts
- Transportation and energy efficiencies achieved
Also included in the report is SpartanNash’s 2017 CR dashboard, which the retailer has used to guide its efforts throughout the current year. The dashboard makes available initiatives around local support, diversity and inclusion, volunteering, and waste and energy consumption.
Again, for even more detail on SpartanNash’s efforts on the important area of sustainability, view the SpartanNash Corporate Responsibility Report at SpartanNash.com/CR-Report, and stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.com for the latest on major moves in the produce industry.
SACRAMENTO, CA – Chelan Fresh’s Rockit™ apple drew a crowd frenzied to prove themselves to the mini fruit and their fellow industry pals in our latest Quiz Quix.
If the leaderboard is anything to go by, members of the produce industry near and far attempted to pluck the $100 cash prize ripe for the taking and were eager to read and race to prove their apple variety knowledge.
However, two apple enthusiasts stood out from the rest.
For the buy-side victory, Jewel Osco Produce Buyer Bob McBride nabbed the victory with the fastest time and the most points.
Claiming the supply-side victory, Elite Border Logistics's Jose Saldivar beat out competitors with his quick scores and high points.
Check out the leaderboard below to see if you, or someone you know, made it with the best contenders on Chelan Fresh info.
As for what stumped all those taking this round’s Quiz Quix, and those looking for a hint if they haven’t had a try yet, see what caught the majority of quizzers:
Most Missed Question
How many ROCKIT™ Apples can be found in each unique package?
Answer:
3, 4, and 5
If you missed your chance to show-off your Rockit™ knowledge, don’t worry! You can quiz yourself and compare your scores with our winners by following the green link below. While you won’t be eligible to win our prize, you can stay in the know about our next quiz by subscribing to our newsletter here.
To compete in Quiz Quiz events to come, just sign in either via email or one of several social media accounts, and you’ll be all ready to jump into the competition for $100 cash!
Quiz Quix is our way of encouraging some healthy, fun, informative competition within the industry. Signing in will give us a token to verify you and allows us to put your name in the ranking. It doesn’t give us access to more than your name and email address. Participants must have a valid email address registered in their individual name in order to play.
Congratulations Bob and Jose!
KINGSVILLE, ON - Now in its third consecutive year of partnership with the world-renowned Movember Foundation, SUNSET® is once again helping to contribute to the awareness about men’s health issues. This year, SUNSET’s new $20,000 donation brings the total amount raised for the Movember Foundation to $60,000.
“At SUNSET®, we pride ourselves on growing top-quality products that enable our customers to live healthier lives,” CEO Paul Mastronardi explained. “The goal of our #MoKumato campaign is to make it easier for anyone to start a conversation about important men’s health issues. It’s all about increasing awareness and motivating men to take preventive action.”
As part of its campaign, SUNSET® Kumato® packages will have a special mustache shaped label that promotes the Movember Foundation throughout the entire month of November, according to a press release. The company encourages consumers to pose for a selfie with the signature Kumato® mustache, then post it to Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram with #MoKumato and #Movember. This year, SUNSET® has created a dedicated landing page, sunsetgrown.com/movember/, where consumers can delve deeper into important facts and statistics about men’s health, as well as enter to win weekly giveaways on social media all month long.
Want to get involved? Grab your Kumato® 'stache and start snapping!
AUSTIN, TX - Whole Foods has welcomed a new leader to its executive team, moving up its own Christina Minardi. Effective immediately, she resides in a newly-created Executive Vice President of Operations position, joining Ken Meyer and David Lannon as the third Executive Vice President of Operations.
With 22 years at the company under her belt, Minardi brings a great deal of experience to the promotion. Most recently she served Whole Foods as its Northeast Regional President, overseeing 40 stores in three states.
Since joining Whole Foods Market in 1995, the retailer said that Minardi has forged a path in retail and culinary excellence. According to a press release, she has built a remarkable leadership team while operating some of the highest-volume stores in the most unique and demanding areas of metro New York.
Among her achievements is also having been recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the “Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink.”
“I’m thrilled to welcome Christina to the leadership team and I look forward to working with her to build an exciting future,” said CEO and Co-Founder John Mackey. “I know she will be an integral part of building our relationship with Amazon and helping drive our shopper experience.”
In her new role, Minardi will both co-lead the integration with Amazon and lead four regions. Among her responsibilities will be re-imagining the customer experience and driving e-commerce initiatives, as well as other key store and regional programs.
With continuous changes at Whole Foods as it creates a new strategy under Amazon, AndNowUKnow will report on new developments as they occur.
SALINAS, CA – The Organic Produce Summit (OPS) has announced registration dates for the third annual OPS. Retailer and buying organization registration for OPS 2018 will begin November 20 on the OPS website.
“We are excited to bring together the leaders and innovators of organic fresh produce to the cradle of organic fresh produce production for two days of information, education, and networking,” said Susan Canales, Director of Operations, in a press release. “The phenomenal response and feedback we’ve received from our sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees to the event motivates us to make each year even better. As we plan for OPS 2018, we have some exciting opportunities for attendees that we will be sharing in the months ahead.”
The Summit will be held July 11-12 in Monterey, California, at the newly-renovated Monterey Conference Center. Following the success of the previous years’ events, OPS 2018 will feature a similar format with a gala opening reception, a series of educational sessions, inspiring keynote presentations, a sold-out exhibit trade show, and field tours for qualified buyers.
According to the OPS’ press release, the two-day event—developed exclusively for producers of organic fresh produce and their retail and buying partners—has become the go-to event for the $15 billion organic fresh produce industry. OPS 2017 was sold-out and featured over 200 retailers from over 80 different retailers and buying organizations, and the annual Summit boasts support from some of North America’s most prominent growers, shippers, and processors of organic produce.
Co-sponsors for this year’s event are Braga Family Farms and Taylor Farms, with major sponsors including Driscoll’s, VBZ Grapes Inc., Oneonta Starr Ranch, Homegrown Farms, Ocean Mist, and Earthbound Farm.
Retailers and buying organization members are eligible to receive complimentary registration and hotel accommodations for the event, with more information available at www.organicproducesummit.com.
Thought all exhibit space for OPS 2018 is currently sold out, space on a wait list is available, and interested parties can contact [email protected] for details.
Information on educational and keynote sessions will be forthcoming in the near future, and AndNowUKnow will keep you apprised with updates.