CASHMERE, WA - Sliced apple innovator Crunch Pak® has a new look in store for its award-wining apple rings. Launching at this year’s PMA Fresh Summit in New Orleans, the company’s latest product will get a new, clean packaging design that emphasizes the fresh product inside.
“Apple Rings may change the way people consume apples. With their unique shape, it adds variety outside of just slices,” said Megan Wade, Brand and Media Manager. “The Crunch Pak team worked hard and is excited to bring customers a new and innovating way of slicing product.”
A winner of United Fresh’s Innovation Award for Best New Fruit Product, Crunch Pak’s apple rings are circles of fresh apples with the cores removed. The rings are in three flavor options—sweet, tart, and a mixture of both—and give home cooks the option to dip, layer, use the apple slices in a recipe, or eat out right out of your hand.
Want to see the new packaging design in person? Crunch Pak will be set up at PMA Fresh Summit booth #5429 with its refreshed apple ring packaging in tow. According to a press release, the new design features clean graphics, updated usage ideas, use-by coding, and space for greater fresh product visibility.
Crunch Pak will also make available a new Foodles package featuring sliced and peeled apples, cheddar cheese, and non-GMO crackers.
Crunch Pak will be highlighted in both the Just for Kids product showcase for its Foodles and the On-the-Go Snacking showcase for its apple rings, Wade says. The company’s Apple Ring Flatbread recipe created by local New Orleans Chef Amy Sins of Langlois Restaurant has also been recognized as a finalist in this year’s PMA Fresh Summit Sensory Competition.
And Crunch Pak has more than just apple rings at its fingertips. Enter www.crunchpak.com for Snackers, Dipperz, Foodles, and oodles more innovative products.
ANTIOQUIA, COLOMBIA - Officials made a sizeable drug bust linked to crime gang Golfo Clan, also known as the Usuga Clan, with the assistance of several bananas and other fruits.
Colombian police found seven tons of cocaine at a banana farm, worth about $200 million USD, according to news source telesur.
“The shipment was being guarded for transport later to Central America, with the United States as a final destination, camouflaged in legal shipments of banana and fruits,” Colombian Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas said. "The cocaine was collected on a farm in the banana zone of Uraba, in bananas and other fruits, and was destined for Central America and the United States market."
Colombian authorities are investigating who owns the property, which is located in the northern province of Antioquia. Officers exchanged fire with members of the gang during the raid, arresting five people in the operation: four men and one woman.
The Golfo Clan is reported as the largest drug trafficking gang in the country, accused of operating routes in partnership with Mexican cartels and taking part in illegal gold mining.
Estimated to stand at about 1,800 members total, telesur reports that the group said earlier this month that it would be willing to surrender to the government. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said the request is being examined but will not negotiate with the group.
As far as their involving the produce industry in their activities, AndNowUKnow is happy to report this latest round as a win.
LOS ANGELES, CA – Pacific Trellis Fruit/Dulcinea Farms has announced a milestone for the company’s first grower partner; Agroexport de Sonora S.A. out of Hermosillo, Mexico, grower of Dulcinea® PureHeart® Mini Seedless Watermelons, has completed a strict audit to achieve Fair Trade certification through SCS Global Services (SCS).
“Our commitment to socially responsible agriculture is a key component in selecting and building our grower partnerships,” noted Josh Leichter, General Manager. “We will continue to work with these partners to expand the volume of product we can offer with Fair Trade certification.”
In a company press release, Dulcinea noted that Fair Trade certification works to build sustainable livelihoods for farmers and farmworkers across the globe by strengthening their communities.
“At Agroexport, the quality of life of the employees been always one of our top priorities,” said Juan Carlos Coppel R, General Manager. “This achievement means a lot of hard work and investment, but at the end it’s a win for all. We work on constant improvement; this reinforces our partnership with Dulcinea, which is very important for us.”
Fair Trade certification works through rigorous standards that help uphold farmworkers’ fundamental human rights and establish safe working conditions—and through initiatives like the Community Development Fund, which provide extra income that farmworkers earn with every Fair Trade sale. These funds that allow farming communities to invest in critical community projects like education, safety equipment, environmental protection, and healthcare, as well.
“Being able to offer our customers Dulcinea melons with the Fair Trade certification provides confidence for the consumer that they are using their purchasing power to improve the communities where the food they feed their families is grown,” explained Micki Dirtzu Charley, Director of Marketing. “According to the 2017 Cone Communications CSR Study, 63 percent of Americans are hopeful businesses will take the lead in driving social and environmental change. 87 percent will purchase a product from a brand that is aligned with their values and 76 percent will refuse to purchase a brand that goes against their values. We know corporate citizenship matters to consumers.”
Dulcinea Farms will start shipping certified Fair Trade Certified™ PureHeart Mini Seedless Watermelons and Organic PureHeart Mini Seedless Watermelons in early October of this year.
For more on company milestones, and exceptional produce offerings in our industry, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
SPRINGFIELD, NJ - Village Super Market, which operates 29 ShopRite banners on the East coast, today announced that James Sumas has notified the Board of Directors of his decision to step down as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors effective December 15, 2017 and not to stand for re-election to the Board of Directors at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on December 15, 2017, according to a press release.
James Sumas was elected Chairman of the Board in 1989 and named Chief Executive Officer in 2002. He has served variously as Vice President, Treasurer, and a Director of the company since its incorporation in 1955.
The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that in recognition of his contributions to the company over 62 years of service, the Board has appointed James Sumas Chairman Emeritus effective December 15, 2017.
The retailer also announced that the Board plans to appoint Robert Sumas as Chief Executive Officer and William Sumas to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors effective December 16, 2017, when James Sumas’ term expires.
Robert Sumas has served as President since 2009. He has served variously as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Secretary, and a Director of the Company since 1969.
William Sumas has served as Vice Chairman of the Board since 2009. He has served as Vice President and a Director of the Company since 1980. Since 1989, he has served as an Executive Vice President.
Village Super Market operates a chain of ShopRite stores in New Jersey, Maryland and eastern Pennsylvania.
CASTROVILLE, CA – When it comes to the topic of artichokes, the folks at Ocean Mist® Farms are savants. Now, the company aims to share its knowledge and insights through its new blog, From the Heart. The blog is an extension of the company’s initiative educating consumers on how to prepare and eat fresh artichokes and the other fresh vegetables the company grows.
“The blog is a way for us to connect to our readers on a more personal level sharing timely content about our both our company and products that they’ve asked us for,” said Diana McClean, Director of Marketing for Ocean Mist Farms. “Our intent is to provide a space where creativity, storytelling, and inspiration become part of a daily interaction with people who want to know more about eating fresh.”
Publishing new content once a week, From the Heart features seasonal recipes, company updates, community involvement news, and highlights from the field. Content contributors include:
- Ocean Mist Farms employees
- Chef Adrienne Saldivar-Meier
- Blog contributor Kelsey Preciado from Little Bits of Real Food.
This optimized searchable content extends the reach of this leading brand influence on topics like family farming, cooking, entertaining and artichokes.
“I’m thrilled to contribute fun, healthy, and most importantly delicious recipes and ideas to the From the Heart blog by Ocean Mist Farms,” said blogger of Little Bits of Real Food, Kelsey Preciado. “Ocean Mist Farms products and company values are aligned with everything Little Bits of Real Food stands for, which makes this partnership that much more rewarding.”
Ocean Mist Farms strives to equip people with resources to help them enjoy fresh vegetables in new and unique ways. Each of the blog’s contributors have a personal connection to the brand, and their expertise is what will shape the collaborative nature of From the Heart – everything from chefs tips to stories from the farm will allow audiences to see the Ocean Mist Farms brand in a more personal light.
Visit fromtheheart.oceanmist.com/blog for more information, or visit Ocean Mist Farms’ Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for additional inspiration.
WENATCHEE, WA - As we quickly approach National Apple Month, and all things autumn that come with it, Stemilt Growers is embracing the changing of the leaves with its second holiday-themed 5lb pouch bag. To encourage high volume apple sales in produce departments around the country, the company is launching a Halloween theme to the convenient packaging.
“The Halloween-themed bag is a great way for retailers to get into the spooky holiday spirit all while being able to decorate their produce department shelves easily,” said Communications Manager Brianna Shales. “These bags are fun to look at, capture the eye of the consumer, and push high volumes of apples–a win for all parties involved.”
Stemilt will begin loading the Halloween-themed 5lb pouch bag October 2 and will continue through October 20, according to a press release, giving retailers plenty of time before Halloween to increase sales volumes. Approximately eight bags ship in Stemilt’s Inspiration Orchard™ display ready carton (DRC).
Varieties available to be packed include:
- Gala
- Fuji
- Pink Lady®
- Red Delicious
- Granny Smith
“The Halloween pouch bag is a great in-and-out item for October, which is an important time for apples because of the attention garnered through National Apple Month. It’s the same size as our Apple Lover’s bags, which many are using as an everyday item, and available in key varieties to help bolster those apple sales,” said Shales.
She continued, “October is apple season and these holiday-themed bags are a fun way to drive sales during a time when many have apples on their mind already. More time is spent in the kitchen baking and cooking in the fall, so retailers should capitalize on this and push this Halloween-themed 5lb bag to move volume and see an increase in sales dollars during this season.”
Stemilt said it has seen great success with its Apple Lover’s 5lb bag–ideal for capturing the once-a-week shopper and perfect for families planning holiday meals–since releasing it in 2016.
The company will bring back its first holiday-themed bag, which launched last year during the Christmas season and followed a candy-cane look.
“When we released the 5lb Christmas-themed pouch bag last year, it was quite the hit,” Shales commented. “So we wanted to piggyback off that success and celebrate Halloween with festive packaging and fall’s favorite flavors of apples.”
On this year’s harvest, Stemilt said it is just past the first peak for apples and is seeing great qualities and finish on the varieties it has harvested so far.
“This time of year is great for apples. We have fresh, high-quality apples coming off the trees and the cool weather encourages consumers to bake and plan for their holiday menus,” states Shales. “These bags will only continue to encourage those actions.”
Sizing is down slightly over last year, making for more bagged fruit opportunities to move volume. Keep an eye out for the themed packaging next month.
BIRMINGHAM, AL - Can you imagine a world where you have everything you want in your fridge all the time? Walmart can. The retailer announced it will begin pilot programs of a new service that will allow for delivery people to come inside your home, and even place your groceries inside your refrigerator. The service is in partnership with August Home, a smart-lock company that allows for keyless home entry.
“We’re excited to be running this test in Silicon Valley with a small group of August Home customers, all of whom have opted-in to participate in testing this new concept. And we want to do more in the future by delivering groceries and other orders in whatever location works best for our customers–inside the house for some and in the fridge/freezer in the garage for others,” said Sloan Eddleston, VP, Walmart eCommerce Strategy & Business Operations, in a blog post for the company. “The possibilities are endless, and we look forward to exploring how we can further serve our customers’ needs.”
For at least the first tests in Silicon Valley, the service will work as follows, according to the company:
- Place an order on Walmart.com for any number of items, even groceries
- A Deliv driver will retrieve the items and bring them to the orderer’s home
- If no one answers, he or she will have a one-time passcode that is pre-authorized which will open the home’s smart lock
- The homeowner is in control of the experience the entire time, receiving a smartphone notification that the delivery is occurring and the option to watch the delivery take place in real-time
- The Deliv associate will drop off packages in the foyer and then carry groceries to the kitchen, unload them in my fridge, and leave
- The orderer is watching the entire process from start to finish from home security cameras through the August app
- As you watch the Deliv associate exit the front door, the orderer receives confirmation that my door has automatically been locked
“These tests are a natural evolution of what Walmart is all about–an obsession in saving our customers not just money but also time, making our customers’ lives easier in the process,” Eddleston went on. “What might seem novel today could be the standard tomorrow. This may not be for everyone–and certainly not right away–but we want to offer customers the opportunity to participate in tests today and help us shape what commerce will look like in the future.”
As Walmart looks to raise the bar on delivery standards for fresh food and beyond, will this type of all inclusive service become the norm? AndNowUKnow will continue to report as the retail scene evolves.
SEATTLE, WA - Ganaz is not the latest slang, but rather a possible new window for labor recruitment. Comparable to an ‘Uber for labor,’ Ganaz is a newly-launched app by partners Hannah Freeman and Sri Artham that looks to quickly and conveniently connect quality growers with quality labor, especially in those dire days leading up to harvest.
“Growers generally call a day or two before harvest when they are desperate to try anything, and come back saying excitedly that it’s working,” Hannah shared with me recently, laughing as she painted the scenario. “It's been a lot of fun, especially earlier in the summer when we were learning how to make the application easier and more efficient.”
Hannah and Sri launched the app in May, following a passion ignited in working with growers and laborers and noting a gap between the two that could be filled.
“We both worked for Fair Trade USA for a long time running the fresh produce categories. Over the last few years we were listening to stories from growers on how difficult it is to find and keep dependable labor, and from laborers on how difficult and opaque the recruitment system is. I saw the potential for how to connect the two, and we both quit our jobs in April to pursue it,” Hannah recalls.
The leap of faith has already received a welcome reception, with a significant spike in business kicking up in August.
“There’re so many growers that need workers. Both have smart phones, and this is a great way to make it more efficient and more transparent,” Hannah explains. “This summer we focused on the West Coast, but as the crops finish up here we are shifting our focus to Arizona and Florida. But, we can really go anywhere. So, if we get a call from an apple grower in Michigan in December looking to find labor, we could easily do so.”
This prompts me to ask the budding entrepreneur what’s next for the start-up.
“Mexico,” she says thoughtfully. “We’ve been talking with growers and labor contractors about H2A programs and how they could use help planning better while those workers are here. On the other side, H2A workers could use more available information on who they would be going to work for and what to expect. We also want to work on expanding our connections with Mexico growers to help them find workers in Mexico.”
With what looks to be a roofless ceiling above it, it will be interesting to see where this latest application of technology in our industry goes.
BOISE, ID – Looking to bolster its marketing efforts and continue to engage customers across a variety of platforms, Albertsons Companies has announced the appointment of Guy Burgstahler as the company’s new Vice President of Advertising.
"Guy is a creative visionary with proven experience building engagement and loyalty among a variety of customers," said Shane Sampson, Chief Marketing & Merchandising Officer. "Our banners have a great story to tell, and Guy will have plenty of material to work with throughout our operating areas. We have deep ties to the communities we serve, and we are poised to compete as fiercely as ever in our stores and across our digital platforms."
Burgstahler joined Albertsons last week, where he will work out of the company’s Boise corporate campus.
According to a company press release, Burgstahler has a great track record of driving well-known brands in diverse industries to dominant positions in their markets. Burgstahler brings more than 20 years of advertising leadership experience, having previously served in similar roles with Dick's Sporting Goods, PetSmart, and Tractor Supply Company.
During his time at Dick’s, Burgstahler helped drive the company to the top of sporting goods retail through innovative omni-channel campaigns. He also helped to increase PetSmart's comp traffic with targeted multi-media and integrated campaign strategies and spent the last five years as a marketing executive for category-leading manufacturing brands.
Most recently, Albertsons noted, Burgstahler worked as an entrepreneur, as a partner in a full-service marketing agency in Florida.
Burgstahler is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo, and according to Albertsons, he has a passion for family, sports, and volunteering with organizations that benefit youth.
We at AndNowUKnow would like to congratulate Guy on his new appointment and wish him and the Albertsons team the best.
TAURANGA, NEW ZEALAND - Kiwifruit provider Zespri has appointed long-serving company executive Dan Mathieson as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Mathieson will be taking over for outgoing CEO Lain Jager effective immediately.
“As Chief Executive I am looking forward to helping continue the momentum we have in our business as we work toward increasing global sales to $4.5 billion by 2025. The growing strength of our Zespri brand underpinned by an unrelenting focus on quality and our strong supplier and customer partnerships provides us with an outstanding opportunity to rapidly increase demand, increase supply and innovate to sustain and grow returns to growers and shareholders,” said Mathieson. “Delivering Zespri’s strategy means an increasing focus on our international markets, as we continue to increase demand ahead of supply and expand our 12-month supply business. As Chief Executive I will focus significantly on these elements so I will base myself between our head office in NZ and our sales and marketing hub in Singapore.”
The company’s Chairman Peter McBride noted, in a press release, that Mathieson has an impressive track record over his 15 years with Zespri, with his most recent role as President of Global Sales & Marketing. Mathieson likewise noted that he is tremendously optimistic about Zespri’s future and excited about the opportunities ahead.
“I am confident he will lead Zespri well and deliver growth and increasing value for our industry and shareholders, building on the strong legacy that Lain Jager leaves behind,” said McBride. “In his time leading our sales and marketing operations and offshore markets, Dan has successfully delivered a demand-led strategy, growing mature markets and diversifying into new markets. Our sales and marketing function has developed significantly under his leadership, with an increased focus on consumer insight, distributor and retailer relationships, and marketing excellence.”
Around half of Zespri’s nearly 500 staff are based offshore and Mathieson noted, in the company’s press release, that he welcomes the opportunity to lead this increasingly globalized team.
“Our industry is the heart of everything we do and I realize the huge importance of working closely with New Zealand growers and industry leaders and I will spend substantial time at Zespri’s head office in Mount Maunganui. A strong and empowered New Zealand executive will also play a key role in maintaining these strong industry relationships,” said Mathieson.
McBride acknowledged the extraordinary opportunity ahead to grow year-round demand for Zespri Kiwifruit, maximize the potential of SunGold around the world, and continue to grow the Zespri brand.
“Dan’s appointment is the logical evolution of Zespri’s strategy to grow market demand and create value for customers and consumers, along with growing sustainable returns for Zespri’s grower-shareholders,” added McBride. “This appointment reflects the development of Zespri and the industry over the last five years, along with the continuation of our strategy to market the world’s leading portfolio of kiwifruit 12 months of the year. The Board regarded Dan’s exceptional international sales and marketing background, together with deep knowledge of our industry and his strong ability to lead diverse groups of people in his appointment to the role of Chief Executive.
McBride also acknowledged the hard work of outgoing CEO Lain Jager.
“I would like to acknowledge the outstanding performance of Lain Jager as Chief Executive for the past nine years. His record speaks for itself, managing the challenges and opportunities of growth with volumes doubling under his leadership, alongside growing value for growers and shareholders,” said Mr McBride.
For more on all things produce, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.