SEATTLE, WA - On the heels of a stellar financial quarter, Amazon is brewing up new buzz for a potential array of new store formats for both Amazon and it’s newly-acquired Whole Foods chain. In a call with investors, Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky addressed plans to test out new concepts in brick and mortar retail, but will these enter the world of grocery in the vein of Whole Foods? So far, the word is mum.
“We think we'll also be developing new store formats and everything else just as we've talked about in the past with before Whole Foods, [A]mazon Bookstores, Amazon Go, and the opportunity that technology presents,” said Olsavsky, according to The Motley Fool. “So we're experimenting with a lot of formats.”
“A lot of formats,” obviously doesn’t tell us much, but it does lend us a look into what future might hold. If you happened to look at Amazon’s financial report last week, you may have seen a section referred to as the ‘physical stores’ revenue segment. This revenue stream brought home $1.3 billion for the company and included sales from Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods. But if you ask source Motley Fool, the fact this section was highlighted signifies that Amazon will not be slowing up on brick and mortar retail anytime soon.
"[T]hat class of revenue, physical stores revenue, is going to be where we are going to book any sales that where a customer physically select[s] an item in a store," CFO Brian Olsavsky said, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence transcript. "So it also—it does include our Amazon Books.”
Yes, Amazon Books is one potential format. Olsavsky also said he could neither confirm or deny rumors of an Amazon pharmacy format, reports The Street. On top of these two prospects, Amazon has previously unveiled plans to grow its AmazonFresh Pickup, and checkout-less Amazon Go formats. But as of now, little information has been announced on what new formats Whole Foods will bring to the table. Whole Foods had been slowly rolling out its 365 by Whole Foods Market warehouse-style format prior to its acquisition. But what’s next?
"Whole Foods really gives us a fast head start on that and a great base and a great team to work with who has a lot of history and 10-20 years of learnings that we don't have and wouldn't have" in physical retail, Olsavsky continued during the call. "Working together will bring out different strengths to the table.”
As we keep trying to decode these hints from Amazon and Olsavsky, the ANUK team will continue to keep you in the loop on what big moves we can expect from the retail behemoth.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Baked, fried, boiled, or seasoned, there’s not a bad way to enjoy potatoes and you can’t go wrong with the classics. But this holiday and winter season, Fresh Solutions Network®, LLC is offering shoppers inspiring and innovative ideas to shake up the usual takes on this healthy and popular American tradition with its eye-catching potato Side Delights® winter promotions.
“Cooking at home is still the preferred way to prepare a meal for 98 percent of Americans, and the holidays are the ideal time for home-cooked meals,” said Kathleen Triou, President and CEO, in a press release. “During this busy season, shoppers want quick and easy side dish options and recipes to inspire them. Side Delights winter promotions will attract shoppers and increase potato sales.”
The Side Delights three-month winter promotion encourages shoppers to try new potato recipes (delivered by QR Code) with visually appetizing merchandisers and point-of-purchase signs that demonstrate the ease and appeal of quick to cook potato side dish recipes.
This season catch “Some Gifts Are On the Table, Not Under the Tree” December Holiday Promotion, “New Year = No More Boring Dinner” New Year’s Promotion, “Potatoes Fuel Performance” Super Bowl Promotion, and “Table for 2. Make It Together” Valentine’s Day Promotion.
December’s themed, in-store “Some Gifts Are On the Table, Not Under the Tree” visuals celebrate good cheer and good food with the gift of potatoes and a festive recipe for Hasselback Potatoes and Garlic Confit.
In January, shoppers will receive a recipe for Steak and Potato tacos with Poblano Chiles in its “New Year = No More Boring Dinners” New Year’s promotion, along with tips on how to include potatoes in New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, get organized, and spend less and save more.
Just in time for the Super Bowl, Fresh Solutions is providing shoppers with new entertaining ideas with “Potatoes Fuel Performance” in-store promotions directing them to the potato issue of Performance magazine with nutritional information and healthy potato recipes that are perfect for game day.
Lastly, February is full of love with “Table for 2. Make It Together” Valentine’s Day promotions that include a quick and easy Goat Cheese and Chive Potato Stacker recipe giving couples a reason to stay in for the evening and truly enjoy good food and better company.
With so many different potato recipes to get shoppers through the main events of the winter season, shoppers won’t want to miss Fresh Solutions Side Delights Holiday Promotions.
For more on all things produce, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
LEAMINGTON, ON – Good things are coming to the North American market in small packages this season. NatureFresh™ Farms and Eminent Seeds NL announced today that they have reached a proprietary agreement to bring “the World’s Smallest Tomato” to North America; NatureFresh™ Farms will exclusively grow and market Tomberry® tomatoes in Canada, United States, and Mexico.
“We are pleased to partner with Eminent NL” said Peter Quiring, President and Owner of NatureFresh™ Farms, in a press release. “This is a perfect fit to complement our TOMZ® snacking category and our brand strategy. We want to grow and market the best tasting tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, and we are excited to offer this for the first time from our Leamington, Ontario, greenhouse starting next spring. Our research team works hard at identifying these new varieties that taste exceptional, and we look forward to the new opportunities they provide for future consumers.”
“The World’s Smallest Tomato,” The Tomberry® tomato is about 0.5 to 1 cm in diameter with an average fruit weight of 1 to 2 grams.
Jan van Heijningen, Director at Eminent Group, and John Ketler, Farm Manager at NatureFresh™ Farms, finalized the agreement during the 2017 PMA Fresh Summit in New Orleans early this month. Under the terms of the deal, NatureFresh™ Farms will begin growing and commercially marketing this new variety of tomato from its Leamington, Ontario, Greenhouse in spring of 2018. The company plans to expand production of the Tomberry® tomato over the next few years, as the category grows to meet consumer demands for snacking tomatoes.
“The Tomberry® is unique in size and has caught the interest of our retail partners” explained Matt Quiring, Executive Retail Sales Manager for NatureFresh™ Farms. “The snacking trend in North America has exploded, and we continue to search for new items that will help grow our snacking category. This pearl-sized fruit’s unique size is something hard to miss and even more difficult to pass by without picking up. Once a consumer tries them, we are confident that they will be coming back for more. Visually, it is candy to the eyes. From a sensory standpoint, we can back that up.”
Over the past year, NatureFresh™ Farms’ trial and development team has worked with Eminent NL Seeds to explore new tomato varieties that would fit the growing trend in the snacking category. The company notes that Tomberry® both delivers on flavor and brings a new look and ingredient to the culinary world of food service. Tomberry® tomatoes are versatile and visually appealing and are ideally suited for snacking, salads, and hot dishes.
For more on all things produce, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - Speak up and let your consumers, your shoppers, your peers, and elected officials know why NAFTA supports fresh fruit and vegetable consumption. This was the resounding message as key movers and shakers from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico gathered to discuss their interest and support for the Produce Coalition for NAFTA.
As thousands browsed the PMA Fresh Summit show floor below, members of the Produce Coalition for NAFTA, which includes veterans of Mission Produce, Taylor Farms, Driscoll’s, Wonderful Citrus, and many more, discussed having watched NAFTA’s influence take shape and increasingly help our industry.
“It has helped grow our business; it has helped grow consumption in the categories we have; it gave us another diversified area with options,” Vic Smith, President and CEO of JV Smith Companies, shared when asked about the importance of NAFTA and the coalition looking to keep it in place. He reflected on a current book he is reading, The Next 100 Years, which observed the market power North America has by working together between the three countries. “It would be a tragedy to forsake our North American position. If we don’t come together to partner and maintain the strengths we have together on this, there will be a vacuum and other markets will shoot into it.”
Enrique Sanchez Cruz of the Mexican Pavilion communicated optimism in the meetings he has had with influencers in both the U.S. and Canada.
“It has been great to listen to these officials speak on the strength of the U.S./Mexico relations. The representatives of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado all clearly state the message that it is extremely important to them to keep the bilateral relationship open,” Cruz shared at the gathering. Even so, he emphasized the importance of telling the government and the consumers those same messages.
David Krause, President of Wonderful Citrus, agreed that communication is key in keeping what he called a “fantastic tool” in expanding companies and increasing produce availability for consumers.
“We, like many of the businesses in this room, have made significant investments in the last decade in an attempt to better serve consumers in North America. I think that’s the fundamental issue which NAFTA has allowed others to do. And we must maintain that focus as we move forward in these negotiations,” Krause said, emphasizing that he and the company are very proud to be a part of the coalition and that the challenge is to be more vocal in advocating for NAFTA.
Another message was that change and evolution in NAFTA doesn’t have to be negative, but that its continued existence is a positive for the industry as a whole.
“The key is we have to help a lot more people in our country understand what NAFTA has done,” Smith commented. “We can’t stand by and let anyone say there is an unfair advantage, I don’t personally believe it. I think some of the best producers I’ve seen were in categories like tomatoes, that recognized with NAFTA there was an opportunity to improve both their supply and the supply chain, and then the greater consumption, which should be all our goal. So, this coalition came up to counter a limited, narrowly-focused viewpoint. And hopefully we can make a difference.”
The most influential moment for me was when the leaders discussed the possibility of agriculture’s place in the NAFTA negotiations being overshadowed by the automobile industry, in which many encouraged producers to let negotiators know that our industry “was not up for forfeit” in the wake of louder trades.
“Perhaps the challenge for us is to be a little bit more vocal in advocating with our peers in the industry,” Krause said. “We support the coalition, we are very pleased with it, and I would encourage the members of the coalition to talk to your peers. Let’s get others behind this; let’s make sure that we don’t lose this fantastic tool or allow others to take it away from us.”
As the next rounds of negotiations approach, AndNowUKnow will keep you briefed on the latest as it pertains to the produce industry. Additional information can be found on http://producecoalitionfornafta.com/.
Coalition for NAFTA Driscoll's JV Smith Companies Mission Produce Taylor Farms Wonderful Citrus
DELANO, CA - Claire Caratan, part of the fourth generation at Columbine Vineyards, gave us a look behind the greens of those vineyards through her eyes.
“My great grandfather shipped his first harvest of grapes in 1926,” she shares, adding that her family has continued that tradition by producing some of the freshest table grapes in the San Joaquin Valley for almost nine decades.
Columbine Vineyards grows more than 15 varieties of table grapes, available from July through December, including its proprietary varieties like the Black Globe and its exclusive Holiday variety.
“The Holiday is my personal favorite grape,” Claire tells us. “The Holiday eats fantastically; it has delicious flavor, a bright red color, and really crisp texture.”
Available late September through early December, the Holiday is offered in an easy grab n’ go bag, as well as Columbine’s new petite bag.
To see our entire interview, including other Columbine grape varieties and why you and your consumer will want to be a part of the Columbine Vineyards experience, watch the short video above.
NEW YORK, NY - Are you even a night owl if you don’t watch The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon? In a recent segment aired on his show, Fallon explores one of the beautiful ways that pumpkins can be used once the Halloween candles are blown out, consequently taking me back to chemistry class.
Before you reach for your favorite Smashing Pumpkins disc, reminded of the band by a running joke that has never left neighborhoods, Fallon throws a wrench in your plans by–gasp–exploding them!
In the segment, Fallon calls to who he refers to as the “resident science expert,” otherwise known as Street Science’s Kevin Delaney. To address the “spooky time,” they welcome the opportunity to do some “spooky stuff.” For the companies looking to surprise customers with a theatrical display, you might want to sit up in this class, because you’re in for a treat.
We have all been left with sad, decaying, pumpkins after carving Jack-o’-Lantern season has come to a close.
Enter (stage left): The Pumpkin Booth. Let me preface this explanation with Fallon’s emphatic cries, “DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME,” and “COVER YOUR EARS!”
Delaney cautiously walks into an enclosed booth, where there lies a decrepit pumpkin on its last leg, far beyond its glory years. He then fills a plastic bottle with dry ice and water, before turning it upside down, pressurizing the fog that is created when the two interact. As the bottle expands, it reminds me of science experiments of my yesteryear.
Wait for it. Wait for it… BOOM! The bottle explodes, along with the pumpkin that previously enclosed it.
Again, this is a dangerous procedure, but MAN does it tap into a childhood-like sense of complete curiosity, or what?! While this experiment caters to post-Halloween resolutions with holey shells of has-been pumpkins, Fallon has many other tricks up his sleeves to make the season fun and festive. For ideas on how to amp up your Halloween game, check out the video:
Stay tuned into AndNowUKnow for more produce industry news!
AUSTIN, TX – Whole Foods has announced new plans that seem to suggest further expansion is in order for the recently-acquired banner. Hot off of its parent company’s impressive quarterly earnings report, the Amazon-owned grocer has announced plans to host a National Hiring Day at all of its U.S. stores on November 2nd. The goal of the event? To hire as many as 6,000 Whole Foods team members.
According to a company press release, Whole Foods’ National Hiring Day will feature full- and part-time opportunities for both seasonal and permanent positions. Positions span a number of different areas of expertise and include cashier, culinary expert, and prepared food specialist roles.
The company noted that it offers competitive pay and benefits for both its full- and part-time team members. According to its press release, Whole Foods offers a 20 percent in-store discount, flexible scheduling, and positions that provide the opportunity to grow in a company that is focused on providing customers with the best possible in-store experience and service.
Candidates interested in applying can visit any Whole Foods Market store on November 2 and receive an interview, with opportunities for on-the-spot job offers. The company encourages interested parties to visit www.joinwholefoods.com to learn more about National Hiring Day and apply in advance.
AndNowUKnow will continue to report with important retail news.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – If you’ve watched shows like Chef’s Table, you already know you’re never too old to put a little bit of fun into your eating experience. And it looks like the buyers at PMA Fresh Summit agreed. In PMA’s annual Sensory Experience Contest, a panel of professional produce buyers, food bloggers, and local kids alike cast their vote at this year’s Fresh Summit convention, selecting DelFrescoPure®’s Mini Cucumber Strawberry Boats as the winner of its Buyers’ Choice Award.
“We were excited to compete in the Sensory Experience Competition and were thrilled when we won the Buyers Choice Award, featuring our Mini Cucumber Strawberry Boats,” Marketing Manager Fiona McLean tells me. “The recipe features our Mini Crunchers Cucumbers® and YES!Berries Your Everyday Snack™ strawberries with a touch of feta cheese and reduced balsamic vinegar. The combination is sweet, crunchy, and refreshingly light! Our team has worked hard on developing innovative recipes for in-store demos with children as the main focus.”
To try this tasty, produce-packed recipe for yourself, check out the company’s recipe page here!
PMA has continued its Sensory Experience Contest year in and year out as a way to promote greater consumption of fresh produce at home, in schools, and across foodservice settings. Set up as a way to showcasing the delicious flavors and beautiful colors of fresh fruits and vegetables, the panel of buyer judges preselected finalist recipes based on the following criteria, according to PMA:
- Produce-centric: Produce should be the primary ingredient and the star of the dish
- Innovative: The dish should be innovative and creative, without precluding the ability to easily replicate it in a home or commercial kitchen
- Visually appealing: The dish must have "eye appeal" and be vibrant and colorful, without hindering the ability to replicate the recipe in a home or commercial setting
- Kid-friendly: The dish should appeal to children, and be easily replicated in a school or consumer kitchen
And it sounds like DelFrescoPure hit all the marks! Want to learn more about each and every DelFrescoPure product that made this recipe the top choice among Fresh Summit's buyer judges? Visit www.delfrescopure.com.
SEATTLE, WA - Eyeballs made of olives, spaghetti “brains,” lady fingers with extra lady—these are just a few of the chilling treats I have seen pop up around the spookiest holiday of all: Halloween. But, this year, Starbucks has decided to offer its own riff on the most haunting of all eating occasions to sink your fangs into, adding produce to its signature frapps in the form of strawberry “blood.”
Sound yummy to you?
After checking out the details, the so-called Vampire Frappuccino actually sounds pretty delicious to me. Marrying the fruity tang of a strawberry sauce with the decadence of a chocolately frappuccino base and topped off with a dollop of whipped cream, the drink actually takes on kind of Neapolitan-type flavor, writes Refinery29. In fact, there are two twists on the spooky treat, Mr. and Mrs. Vampire Frappucinos.
“Both these fang-tastic beverages start off with a layer of mocha sauce and a dollop of whipped cream on the bottom,” writes Starbucks Singapore in a statement. “With Mr Vampire Frappuccino®, chocolatey cereal is layered on top, while Mrs Vampire Frappuccino® sees sweet vanilla added to the mix. Both drinks are then finished with blood red strawberry purée oozing from the rim and are topped with whipped cream.”
So, how can you wrap your claws around one of these bad boys (or girls)? Alas to us Americans, HelloGiggles reports that both versions of the Vampire Frappuccino have been added to Starbucks menus in the U.K., Singapore, Norway, and Sweden.
HOWEVER—if you’re not too shy to hit up your local barista for a little bit of handcrafted vampire blood, you may still be able to get your daily dose of chocolate-smothered produce. Refinery29 assures readers that all you have to do is order up one of Starbucks’ chocolate-based Frapps and ask for a drizzle of strawberry sauce—luckily an ingredient they keep on hand year-round. Trick or Treat yo' self!
Is this drink just your (blood) type? Eat, drink, and be scary ANUK readers!
ZAANDAM, NETHERLANDS - One door closes and another one opens at Ahold Delhaize. The company just announced that at the end of December, its Chief e-commerce and Innovation Officer, Hanneke Faber, will be leaving the company. While the company continues to look for her replacement, Faber’s path is heading towards new career opportunities.
"I want to thank Hanneke for her valuable contribution to Ahold Delhaize and her energy and inspiration in defining and executing our digital and omni-channel growth strategy since 2013. She leaves us well on track to deliver close to €3 billion of online consumer sales in 2017, and nearly €5 billion by 2020. While I am sorry to see her leave, I wish her all the best in her future career as well as her personal life,” said Dick Boer, CEO of Ahold Delhaize, in a recent press release. "In the past years we have made good progress in making the local customer experience seamless anywhere, anytime across our brands by combining thriving networks of brick-and-mortar stores and strong online businesses."
As the company bids farewell to Faber, it placed emphasis on the use of e-commerce operations in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the U.S. in the press release. In light of this new shift in industry focus, starting in February of 2017, Peapod’s Brand President reports to Ahold USA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Holt. Further, the Brand President of bol.com will soon be reporting to Wouter Kolk, Chief Operating Officer Netherlands and Belgium, starting January 1st of 2018. The company says that the structure will give further leverage for successes and better best practices by Ahold Delhaize.
The successor for Faber’s role will not have to step into the exact shoes she left behind, as the company has created a new title: Chief Digital Officer. Responsibilities will include driving digital transformation and innovation, such as data analytics and personalization for loyalty, and key elements for the company’s Better Together strategy. The company looks forward to continuing to coordinate best practice sharing across brands in e-commerce in order to benefit the global scale.
Looking forward to seeing how this restructure of the company affects its marketing and business moving forward? AndNowUKnow will continue to report on all things produce industry to keep you updated!