SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, CA - Megan Schulz, Director of Communications at Giumarra Companies, joined AndNowUKnow from the orchards at MPG Farms in the San Joaquin valley to discuss highlights of the up-and-coming persimmon category. And, she has one question to ask: "Do you Fuyu?"
"Sweet, aromatic Fuyu persimmons are harvested in California from September through December," Megan shares in the video. "They are a firm, crunchy fruit almost like an apple. The beautiful orange color is a great addition to your Fall sets."
Though the category is still considered an exotic item, Megan reminisces about the days when kale was just a garnish, and emphasizes that the produce industry has the power to bring persimmons to the forefront of consumer demand. Megan shares retail tips on how to make persimmons pop in the produce department and power up the category.
For more information, go Behind the Greens of Giumarra Companies in the exclusive video, above.
BENTONVILLE, AR - After news that Walmart’s recently acquired subsidiary, Jet.com, would be prepping for it’s own grocery line, the company is gearing up for a private label soft rollout, in what the New York Post is hailing as the “latest weapon” in the retail giant’s arsenal against Amazon.
“The branded vendors are privately telling us that they are relieved about the Jet.com division becoming a big private label seller,” said retail consultant Burt Flickinger, in a separate Post report. “They see Jet.com as the best opportunity to slow Amazon’s march towards making unreasonable demands in its procurement.”
The brand, called Uniquely J, reportedly has more than 50 items spanning a multitude of categories, from coffee to detergent to tomato basil sauce. Though it has yet to be reported whether the list will include fresh produce, according to the trademark filing, the portfolio will eventually expand to hundreds of products.
This latest move is one of many that the retailer has incorporated to fortify itself against the rapidly evolving grocery market sector, and AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
BOISE, ID – Albertsons has made yet another executive change, promoting the President of its Intermountain Division; Brad Street, a 30 year veteran of the grocery industry, will now serve as President of the company’s Northern California Division, succeeding Tom Schwilke.
“He’s already a President and a terrific one, so he’ll bring all of the skills he has to another marketplace for us,” EVP of Human Resources and Public Affairs Andy Scoggin told local news source the Idaho Statesman.
According to the Statesman, Street started his career with Albertsons in Salt Lake City in 1983 and worked in several store positions eventually making his way to store manager. He was then promoted to district manager, working in the company’s Houston and Northern California divisions. After the chain was sold to SuperValu investors in 2006, Street was promoted to Director of Operations and then Vice President of Operations for the company’s Boise-based Intermountain West Division, overseeing operations for 188 stores.
Street briefly served as Vice President of Operations for the company’s Jewel-Osco division, before being promoted to President of Albertsons’ Intermountain Division in 2015.
Street will be succeeded in his former role by John Colgrove. Colgrove formerly served as Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising for the Intermountain Division before being promoted to SVP of Albertsons’ Denver Division last year.
News of the executive move comes just days after news broke that Jim Perkins, formerly Albertsons' Executive Vice President of Retail Operations and Special Projects and President of the Acme Stores Division, would take control of Safeway’s Eastern Division—a position vacated by Dan Valenzuela after just over a year.
For more on all things produce, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
DINUBA, CA - Oscar’s Organic table grape ranch and brands has been acquired by King Fresh Produce, LLC. After Oscar Carillo retired on October 16th, King Fresh stepped up to the plate to keep Carillo’s work running after its 33 years of operation.
“We are excited to further our organic grape program and learn from Oscar’s 30 plus years of experience with organic farming methods,” said Keith Wilson, President of King Fresh Produce, LLC. “As we look to differentiate and build our one-stop shop, the road ahead is full of opportunities.”
The organic treefruit and table grapes have been in production since 1984, but this acquisition doesn’t mean any variance is on the horizon for the established products. King Fresh plans to keep the organic farming methods Carillo implemented throughout the years. Field managers who worked with Carillo for 28 years are familiar with his farming methods will remain on the farm to tend to the existing vineyard and assist with the field work on King Fresh’s company-owned vineyards.
Oscar’s Organic joins the rest of King Fresh’s family of vineyards and farms, which span 3,000 acres of the San Joaquin Valley in California and grow table grape vineyards, cherry orchards, and citrus groves, the company noted in a press release. King Fresh also has farms in Northern Chile, Peru, and Mexico, where it grows table grapes when the California season ends. The company's wide-spanning farms have been growing in number since it was founded in 1933 and allow for a better grip on quality control and food safety. Oscar’s Organic is joining the ranks to ensure consumer satisfaction continues.
This acquisition will translate into the on-boarding of knowledge and practices mastered by Carillo’s farm over the years. According to the company, King Fresh Owner Keith Wilson is excited for the acquisition and looks forward to not only gaining Carillo’s farm, but also the hard-earned knowledge that Carillo’s staff brings with them. Wilson hopes that King Fresh will become a leader in the organic grape market with this transition.
For more information on King Fresh Produce, visit their website at www.kingfresh.com/home.
BAKERSFIELD, CA - Western Veg-Produce is gearing up for a new collaboration with West Coast Berry Farms, a third generation strawberry grower based in Oxnard, California. After more than 22 years of business dealings, Western Veg is pairing up with West Coast Berry, currently owned and ran by RC Jones and family.
“Throughout these years, we’ve all had the pleasure of getting to know each other personally, and we’ve developed a very high level of trust in one another. Both parties have long desired a strategic partnership, and in 2018, our companies will finally work together to provide the industry with premium quality strawberries in promotable volumes, year-round,” Western Veg stated in a recent press release.
With such a long-standing relationship, it is no doubt an exciting moment to merge the companies’ business profitability. And now that West Coast Berry has acquired over 1,500 acres of prime farming land in California--including Oxnard, Santa Maria, and Watsonville--the partnership is bound to be more fruitful than ever. The company continues to satisfy consumers with its excellent and reputable strawberries after more than 20 years.
A new commitment with top Mexican growers will also be West Coast Berry's year-round production of the strawberries its consumers know and love within the Short N’ Sweet and Cal-Fruit labels.
Western Veg’s 150+ years of experience pairs nicely with West Coast Berry’s recent expansion. The two are focused on initiatives dedicated to providing quality produce by rigorously monitoring quality control and sustainable farming initiatives.
“Our mission is to provide consistent, premium quality berries, and help our customers aggressively increase their sales volume for this category year-over year. We are looking for more strategic partners to grow with, as well as opportunities to enhance existing relationships. Advancements in technology allow us to engage with consumers in millions of unique ways, and it also helps us solve complex problems on the farm which results in higher quality produce and increased capabilities,” said Western Veg-Produce’s press release.
Western Veg’s focus within this partnership is buying and merchandising to create one-of-a-kind programs, fitting the needs of the consumers and optimizing on sales productivity.
For more details on Western Veg-Produce’s sales team, visit http://www.wvegpro.com/, and keep following AndNowUKnow.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Looking to get a jump on its competitors, Target rolls out aggressive remodeling and investment plans for 2018, and forty-nine states are in for a treat – wait, fifty! As of fall of next year, the retailer will open its first Vermont location in South Burlington, officially bringing Target to every state in America.
“Guests are rewarding us with more traffic and we’re driving increased sales,” said Brian Cornell, Chairman and CEO, according to Bloomberg. “It’s given us confidence to move forward aggressively.”
And that’s not all Target has planned. Originally aiming to remodel 600 stores by 2019, Target set a new goal with plans to revamp more than 1,000 stores by the end of 2020, concentrating investments in major city hubs, web-friendliness, and smaller stores.
With Walmart abandoning small-format stores, Target has chosen to rework the more profitable store format into its plans in order to boost sales and differentiate from competitors. Despite typically being costlier to operate than larger stores due to frequent deliveries for essentials, small-format stores generate at least twice as much in sales per square foot, and Target is hoping to prosper. Opening 11 small-format stores this week alone, racking up a grand total of 55, Target plans to have 130 small-format stores nationwide by the end of 2019, according to the report
“As we open more small-format stores in our new neighborhoods across the country, we’ll be even closer to our guests, and our reimagined stores will provide elevated inspiration and ease, along with serving as hyperlocal distribution centers to fulfill digital orders faster,” said Cornell in a press release.
Along with remodels and store openings, Target is also gearing up for its Restock program, a service that lets customers have essentials like toothpaste delivered the next day, set to launch next year.
Will Target’s investment in small-format stores give them an edge over competitors like Walmart? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
LOWER PAXTON TOWNSHIP, PA - Five years ago, robots roving supermarket aisles might have seemed like a stretch of the imagination. Today, the concept is not only a reality, but quickly gaining footing with retailers. One such example comes in the form of Marty, a friendly, googly-eyed robot that Ahold USA, parent of Giant Food Stores, is piloting in Pennsylvania as part of a larger upcoming program, according to local source Penn Live.
Marty is a multi-purpose bot-- a tall gray gadget personified with a set of eyes. The robot is part of a test program being developed by Badger Technologies.
"We recognize an opportunity to have a robot that could give us an assistance in the building to our associates. The robot can't do the work of the associates but he can report out information and data to us that is a value, not only to us as a business, but to our customers," said Patrick Maturo, Manager of Store Optimization for Ahold USA.
Marty the robot currently patrols the store aisles several times a day. It does not replace duties of any employees, but is able to:
- Scan floors for slip or trip hazards
- Read unit tags to recognize if items are out-of-stock and notify employees or generate replenishment reports
- Check prices
"Marty can actually look at a unit tag on the shelf, read that unit tag, reference it back to the front register system, and know whether or not that tag is reflective of the correct retail price," Maturo added.
According to Maturo in the report, by 2018, Ahold USA is planning to have an expanded version of the program with a dozen robots operating throughout its banners.
Other retailers currently experimenting with robots include Target, Amazon, and Walmart.
How will this technology impact the retail landscape? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
SALINAS, CA. - Mann Packing has introduced a new bowl to its award-winning Nourish Bowls line. A Spicy Thai kohlrabi noodle bowl is the newest addition and is set to premiere at the 2017 PMA Fresh Summit this weekend at the “On the Go” new products showcase.
“We aim to continually innovate with our product offerings, and there is no better place to unveil our new Spicy Thai Nourish Bowl, foodservice items, and other exciting products, than at PMA Fresh Summit,” said Gina Nucci, Mann’s Director of Corporate Marketing.
Featuring nutrient-rich kohlrabi noodles, kale, carrots, and a spicy Thai sauce, this new bowl is perfect for the cooler months ahead and is only made more delicious with the sweetened coconut flakes that are sprinkled on top.
The newest member of the Nourish Bowl family joins the Sesame Sriracha, Southwest Chipotle, Bacon Maple Brussels, and Cauli Rice Curry bowls, and it is the first to incorporate kohlrabi noodles. According to a recent press release, the Nourish Bowls line has garnered 32,000 points of distribution since its 2016 launch.
Mann Packing said it has endured exponential growth within its organic lines, with the Organic Super Blend at the epicenter, a crunchy veggie medley. Not only is it revealing a new addition to its popular Nourish Bowls, but the company is also showcasing a finalist in the Sensory Experience showcase at the Summit.
“We’re also pleased to announce our recipe for Cauli-Tots, using Cauliflower Cauliettes®, has been selected as a Sensory Experience finalist,” Nucci said.
You will be able to find the company’s new organic products on display at the Summit in the “Certified Organic” new products showcase.
If you are attending the Summit and want more information on the company’s new products, Mann Packing will be revealing its new offerings at booth #707.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - The employee-owned and fresh produce-focused Tanimura & Antle is taking a new, ecologically friendly approach by using CHEP and IFCO’s storage and inventory management solutions. Salinas-based Tanimura & Antle is seeking to eliminate supply chain disruptions to meet sustainability commitments. The partnership was created in 2000, and the lasting effects are measurable and exciting to hear. The story of the partnership between Tanimura & Antle, CHEP, and IFCO is highlighted at Fresh Summit.
“We have built a strong reputation for providing our customers with premium fresh produce every single day,” said Eric Wexler, Vice President, Supply Chain Management, Tanimura & Antle. “Working with CHEP and IFCO, we have peace of mind knowing that pallets and RPCs are on-hand and readily available to meet customer demands, efficiently and sustainably.”
How does this specifically help the environment? Well, according to the press release, the partnership has taken carbon emissions down by five million tons, saved almost 92 million gallons of water, taken food waste down by four million pounds, taken down the total solid waste production made by over 3,000 homes, and saved enough energy to power over 32,000 homes for one year.
With those hard numbers, Tanimura & Antle is commending its wise decision to embark on an ecologically focused business model with CHEP and IFCO. It is not only its waste reductions and energy saving solutions that Tanimura & Antle is celebrating. The company’s partnership is said to increase efficiency and optimize the shipping and handling during peak harvest seasons.
Tanimura & Antle is able to optimize on this partnership by storing its hundreds of thousands of pallets at its locations in Yuma, Arizona, and Spreckels, California, before its peak harvest seasons begin. This solution has helped Tanimura & Antle work more effectively during harvests and made its efforts towards the reduction of carbon emissions and environmental impact more efficient.
“We are committed to doing business in a responsible way that protects and preserves our natural resources. CHEP and IFCO are innovative and collaborative partners that help us deliver on our sustainability commitments,” said Mr. Wexler.
While CHEP tends to the logistics of Tanimura & Antle’s plans, IFCO offers Tanimura & Antle reusable plastic containers for the packaging, transporting, storing, and displaying of the company’s fresh produce. On top of that aspect, IFCO makes sure that it is readily equipped to assist in Tanimura & Antle’s harvesting efforts by using crop forecasting, acreage yield data, and transition plans according to the research it has acquired on Tanimura & Antle’s harvesting seasons.
Tanimura & Antle is not the only company that has benefitted from CHEP. Wholesum Harvest and Metro Inc. have had their own relationship with the company to develop their own innovative supply chain solutions. The increase in efficiency, reduction in costs, and increase in sustainable dividends has been attractive to many businesses.
“CHEP and IFCO constantly strive to develop new and innovative strategies that help growers and retailers successfully navigate the demands of the modern fresh produce supply chain,” said Jason Adlam, Vice President of New Business Development, CHEP USA. “Our pallet storage, sustainability and international flow solutions are examples of the value we deliver for our customers.”
The two companies’ parent company is Brambles, so it is no surprise that CHEP and IFCO share a commitment to achieving a Circular Economy-- one that generates zero emissions and zero waste. Brambles recently expressed its dedication to sustainability by publishing its Sustainability Review for the 2017 Financial Year (FY17). The Review includes updates on CHEP and IFCO’s sustainability program and its progress towards its 2020 Sustainability Goals.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.chep.com or follow us on Twitter @CHEPna or LinkedIn. Please also check out our YouTube channel.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Sometimes it’s good to put all your eggs in one basket – or in this case, snacks! Touting snack leaders in multiple categories, The Wonderful Company features its top three brands side-by-side in its new company-wide ad campaign “We are Number Wonderful.” Uniting the popular brands Wonderful Halos, Wonderful Pistachios, and POM Wonderful the ad series will launch at PMA and is set to appear in trade publications soon.
“As snacking reaches an all-time high, we’re excited to align all of our fresh, produce-driven brands under the easily recognizable Wonderful umbrella,” said Adam Cooper, Vice President of Marketing for The Wonderful Company, in a press release. “More than half of U.S. households already buy a Wonderful product each year, so helping consumers make the connection that Wonderful is a healthy snacking brand they can trust is a natural progression of our marketing strategy. The PMA Fresh Summit is the perfect venue for us to unveil our new We are Number Wonderful trade ad campaign.”
“We are Number Wonderful” creates a powerful synergy amongst the Wonderful brands, helping to establish a strong connection to the Wonderful name. This effort coincides with The Wonderful Company adding more dollars to produce than any other company and securing its place as one of the fastest growing at 15%.
With 3.5 billion servings of Wonderful products enjoyed each year, more than $2 billion in annual branded retail sales, and a $115 million combined marketing budget, The Wonderful Company has accounted for 13% of all dollar growth in snacks and produce combined since November 2016, including:
Wonderful Halos
- This season Halos is launching one of produce’s biggest-ever POS display programs, “Grove of Goodness,” capitalizing on the fact that Halos velocity doubles when showcased in a marquee display. The collection features a grove-to-store tractor, bringing to life the process of delivering fresh mandarins directly from farm-to-table.
- Building on this idea, Halos will also have a mandarin grove tree display that offers a smaller footprint in secondary locations for retail grocers.
- Rounding out the POS program, Halos will be introducing Holiday Spectacular bin wraps for special occasions including Christmas and Easter.
Wonderful Pistachios
- Wonderful Pistachios is now America’s fastest-growing snack brand and accounts for 11% of all dollar growth in snacks, while adding more dollars to snacking than any other single brand.
- For the first time at PMA, Wonderful Pistachios will debut a new look in packaging, highlighting optimal shelf appeal by increasing Wonderful branding, differentiation between popular flavors with the use of vibrant colors and leveraging high quality photography to increase appetite appeal.
- Wonderful Pistachios No Shells is getting a dramatic refresh with a new vivid green package, and the brand will also launch 16oz Natural Raw in Q1 2018.
- Helping to fuel this meteoric rise is a robust $55 million marketing and advertising effort spearheaded by the brand’s biggest football campaign ever, “Put a Smile on Your Snackface.” The ads, starring Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman and Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, launched to critical acclaim last month.
POM Wonderful
- Sales of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice are up 25% compared to a year ago.
- POM Wonderful will debut its largest digital campaign featuring the health benefits of POM 100% Pomegranate Juice.
- Fresh pomegranate and POM POMs season is just getting started. Last year the arils category experienced a 28% increase in sales in-season, and POM POMS dominated sales with a record 79% dollar share.
- POM Wonderful’s recent acquisition of Ruby Fresh, a leading processor and distributor of fresh pomegranates and arils, further enhances POM Wonderful’s position as North America’s leading pomegranate producer and distributor.
Those attending PMA Fresh Summit can visit The Wonderful Company at booth #2645 to experience the new Halos POS display program and learn more about the “We are Number Wonderful” trade ad campaign.
For more produce industry news, AndNowUKnow will continue to report.