CINCINNATI, OH - Kroger Co. is eyeing local suppliers through a newly-launched website platform called Kroger.Com/WeAreLocal, aimed at welcoming emerging and local brands.
"Kroger has always had a commitment to supporting small-business owners and local vendors," said Executive VP of Merchandising Mike Donnelly. "Our business has a track record of successfully blending centralized and decentralized decision making to promote local products while also enjoying economies of scale. Since Kroger's day one, we have had a longstanding, 365-day-a-year commitment to support and source from local farmers, ranchers, food producers, wineries, breweries, and product makers. There are tastes and products that are unique to every region."
The site launched Friday, September 22, just after the industry reeled from an announcement that newly-Amazon powered Whole Foods would be backing away from its traditional small brand buying tactics into a more centralized strategy.
Kroger said in a press release that it recognizes the importance of carrying local and regional brands that are meaningful to the nearly nine million customers served in its family of stores daily, adding that it currently sources from thousands of local suppliers.
"Kroger has led the way for over a decade in making local, natural, and organic products more affordable and accessible to America–especially for shoppers on a budget," said Donnelly. "We've always believed that our customers shouldn't have to pay higher prices just because a product is local, natural, or organic. There are a lot of headlines about making local, natural, and organic foods more affordable. The truth is, we've always been affordable. That's why we developed our Simple Truth brand, which today is the biggest natural and organic brand in the country by volume."
The retailer cited a number of benefits to promoting and sourcing local brands. In addition to expanding its product portfolio, stimulating the local economy, and enhancing product freshness, Kroger said the buying method supports its sustainability commitments like the recently-launched Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative.
To check out the new site, click here.
YUMA, AZ – Just because fall has arrived doesn’t mean your melon-eating days are over. Savor Fresh Farm’s fall season for its Honey Kiss and Summer Kiss varieties of Kiss Melons is just about two weeks away, and the company says its ready to provide the same unparalleled flavor profiles and brix that it does during summer months.
Honey Kiss
A Chinese Hami melon, Honey Kiss will continue to delight aficionados with its trademark crisp texture and luscious honey-sweet flavor.
Summer Kiss
A native of Israel, Summer Kiss is a great replacement for honeydew with its exquisite, creamy flavor, beautiful green interior, and velvety texture.
Both Honey Kiss and Summer Kiss melons will harvest from the projected date of October 10, all the way till early November.
Based in Yuma, Arizona, Savor Fresh Farms is a grower, packer, and shipper of specialty melons. The company boasts production from mid-May through mid-November, according to a press release, and focuses on growing varieties that have consistently great flavor from early in the harvest season to the end of the year. Savor Fresh has become well-known for its “Kiss Melons,” which are branded specialty melons that sell throughout the United States and Canada.
RIO RICO, AZ – SunFed has introduced a new addition to its line of Almost Famous imperfect produce. Almost Famous Roma tomatoes are the latest in this line of high-graphic, grab-and-go offerings that fight food waste while offering exceptional value to consumers.
“Our Roma tomatoes add to our full line of Almost Famous products. These fruits and vegetables have the same flavor profile, nutritional value, and internals as our number one produce offerings,” said Craig Slate, President and CEO, in a press release. “This is perfectly good produce, that otherwise might be left in the field, that we’re marketing in a way that is convenient and appealing to consumers of all budgets.”
Rounding out a product line that includes eggplant, green bell peppers, colored bell peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, and yellow squash, this latest addition to the Almost Famous family offers the same consistency and flavor profile that SunFed’s partners have come to expect from the company’s tomatoes. At the same time, by repurposing cosmetically-imperfect—albeit nutritious and delicious produce—the program is making strides to reduce waste while simultaneously making fresh produce available to shoppers with a variety of budgets.
Almost Famous Roma tomatoes are available in three-pound pouch bags; the convenient packaging and striking branding are designed to help retailers build more brand-value and take advantage of convenience-focused shopping trends. And while Almost Famous Roma tomatoes are currently in limited supply, a precaution to ensure demand is met, the company expects to expand and reach full nationwide distribution in months to come.
“We are currently packing in central Mexico and will transition to other growing regions to ensure a year-round supply,” added Craig. “We’re anxious to see what the reception is like on the Roma pack. We’ve been thrilled by the success of the current Almost Famous programs, and hope to have continued success meeting customers’ needs while reducing food waste.”
For more on forward-thinking programs and initiatives in the produce industy, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
PORTAGE COUNTY, WI - Thomas Lundgren, a former produce seller in Wisconsin, has been accused with what local sources are calling “one of the largest potato-related thefts in Wisconsin history.” According to Wisconsin Public Radio, Lundgren is accused of withholding more than $700,000 in payments to potato growers and trucking companies in 2011-2012.
"The state believes it's one of the largest, if not the largest theft from potato farmers in the state of Wisconsin's history," said Portage County District Attorney Louis Molepske. "This has a severe impact on multiple growers, family farms that rely upon the economic value of their agriculture product."
Lundgren was charged with 10 counts of theft in the Portage County Circuit Court last week. He also faces related theft charges in Langlade County worth $176,000. These charges were initially made in 2013, but Molepske told WPR that the case was dismissed due to issues with the kind of charges that were filed.
"The court believed that how the state had originally filed the case wasn't supported by the evidence," Molepske said. "That was an issue of whether or not the defendant ever was actually in possession of the potatoes or was acting simply under a theft-type of statute."
A preliminary hearing for the case has been scheduled for Monday, Oct. 9.
GUADALUPE, CA - Eat Smart® brand provider Apio, Inc. had joined the industry ranks looking to help where they can in the recovery from Hurricane Irma. The company has sent 28,000 Eat Smart salads, or approximately 114,000 salad servings, to victims of the Category 4 hurricane.
“The hearts and minds of all of our employees are with those affected by this disaster,” said Molly Hemmeter, President and CEO of Landec, Apio’s parent company. “Apio operates a facility in Vero Beach, Florida. Our facility was shut down temporarily during the power outage, but we are once again operational. Most importantly, we are grateful that our employees and their families were unharmed. We want to thank the SOS Foundation and the South Florida Red Cross for partnering with us to distribute fresh vegetable salads to those in need during this difficult time.”
The donation is set to arrive in Homestead, Florida on Monday, September 25th, directly from the company’s Bowling Green, Ohio, facility. The company said in a press release that it is partnering with the SOS Foundation and the South Florida Red Cross to distribute these salads to those in need. This comes on the heels of the company’s donation of 24,000 salads to the victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
As we reported previously, the storm left millions of Floridians without electricity and has impacted several agricultural categories, including citrus, tomatoes, green beans, peanuts, and cotton. Since then, evaluations of damages wreaked both in Florida and the Caribbean have amounted to over $62 billion.
DAVIS, CA - One of the biggest lawsuits in California strawberry history has come to a close. UC Davis has settled its long-standing lawsuit against two former employees who allegedly used the university’s plants illegally to breed new varieties.
In a recently filed court document, UC Davis moved to settle this case, with the final agreement stating that the former UC Davis scientists can continue using some of the strawberry plants they developed at the school, but have to return others, the Sacramento Bee reports. The duo, Douglas Shaw and his partner Kirk Larson, will also owe $2.5 million as retribution for royalty payments they stand to collect for work they did at Davis.
AndNowUKnow has been watching this case since reports first spurred up in early May. This lawsuit is of interest particularly because UC Davis is responsible for developing seeds used by nearly half of the strawberry businesses in California’s $1.9 billion-a-year strawberry industry.
“If you want more and better strawberries on your table…you should care about whether the university should be able to keep these varieties in a lockbox,” shared Greg Lanier, the breeders’ lawyer, in a SacBee interview earlier this year. “Strawberry farmers need new varieties to battle changing weather–it’s rain, it’s drought, it’s changes in what pesticides you can use.”
Over the course of Shaw and Larson’s 25-year tenure at UC Davis, the two developed 24 new strawberry varieties. According to SF Gate, Shaw headed the world famous program for more than two decades, alongside his biologist partner, Larson. Varieties created included those that were pest- and disease-resistant, more durable, drought resistant, capable of growing fruit in spring and fall, and create succulent fruits with higher production.
According to the Bee, the strawberry breeds in question have generated tens of millions of dollars for UC Davis, and Shaw and Larson have earned millions themselves through a royalty-sharing arrangement.
When Shaw and Larson quit UC Davis in 2014, they formed a new company together called California Berry Cultivars, which is when the UC sued the two men and their new company. The university stated the two had violated their “duties of loyalty” by attempting to breed new varieties using plants that were the property of UC Davis, and in turn, California Berry countersued for $45 million, arguing that the university had been “stifling innovation” by refusing to grant Shaw and Larson a license for the plants.
This settlement marks the end of the long legal battle, and while neither side has made comment on the terms, AndNowUKnow will continue to report if new information is made available. Until then, stay tuned!
DAVIS, CA - This year has been turbulent for retailers, with pricing strategy emerging as one of the issues critical for success. It follows that Engage3, a company assisting retailers and brands in enhancing price performance through data science and analytics has recently been recognized on Inc. Magazine’s list of fastest growing private companies. Engage3 placed in the Top 1,500 companies on the list with a three-year sales growth of 274 percent.
“Our team is truly honored to be recognized by Inc. this year. This achievement is a testament to the measurable value and impact we are delivering every day to our clients,” said Ken Ouimet, Founder & CEO of Engage3, according to a press release.
The company appeared in Inc. Magazine’s 36th annual Inc. 5000—one of the most prestigious ranking of independent businesses. Companies such as Dell, Domino’s Pizza, LinkedIn, Microsoft and Zillow gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000.
“Engage3’s innovative platform is distinctive in the market, and we depend on their solutions to deliver value to our consumers and our company. We applaud their well-deserved inclusion on the Inc. list this year,” said Corey Quiring, Sr. Director of Corporate Retail Services at C&S Wholesale Grocers.
This recognition comes on the heels of Engage3 announcing a $12 million Series B investment in the company just last month, which is helping fuel the continued growth and success of the company.
“Engage3’s innovations in retail pricing are resonating with customers in very meaningful ways and it shows through their growth,” said Lokesh Sikaria, Managing Partner of Moneta Ventures and one of the participating firms in the Series B investment round. “The company is bringing great pride to the entire Sacramento region and the city of Davis, CA, where they are headquartered. We are excited to be a part of their journey.”
Congratulations to Engage3 from the team at AndNowUKnow for this major achievement.
CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI – Facing more than $150 million in claims from unpaid suppliers, lenders, and former employees, Gordy’s Market is auctioning off stores next week.
The company at one point operated 26 grocery stores spread across western Wisconsin, according to local news source Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR). Though company had made plans to sell several stores in July to pay outstanding debts, according to the Chippewa Herald, those sales apparently were not enough to lift the chain out of its debt.
In August, Gordy’s was sued for almost $87 million by the SpartanNash-owned Nash Finch Company. In the ensuing month, some 2,000 claims have been filed by other suppliers, contractors, and employees. Local news source the Marshfield News-Herald noted late last month that Gordy’s had informed both employees and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development that the store was in receivership, and may close all its locations thereby laying off the stores 1,000+ employees.
Court documents acquired by WPR reported the value of Gordy’s assets at $40 million—roughly a fourth of the company’s $157 million in liabilities owed. Court proceedings also noted that 17 bids have been made by potential buyers.
Will there be a sale in store for the embattled retailers? For updates as the situation progresses, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
AUSTIN, TX - As plant-based proteins continue to push for a center-plate spot for produce, Whole Foods has announced a new veggie pilot for a different meat: seafood.
Launching November 1st in Los Angeles and New York venues, the retailer will introduce its first-ever plant-based alternative to raw tuna.
“A tasty, vegan option for raw tuna is at the intersection of a few major trends, including the growing popularity of sushi, as well as the surge in plant-based diets and dishes,” said Andy Sasser, Global Category Manager. “We love when we can bring shoppers something delicious that’s never been done before, and Ahimi does just that.”
Ahimi, created by Ocean Hugger Foods, is made from tomatoes and savory, umami-rich ingredients to replicate the taste and texture of ahi tuna, according to a press release.
As of the November 1st debut, Whole Foods said that shoppers can try it in two sushi–the Ahimi Nigiri and Roll Combo, and Ahimi California Roll.
The rollout is the latest in swapping out some or all meat in a product. In addition to The Blend initiative to promote mixing mushrooms with beef-based dishes, Sysco also announced a recent partnership in the same arena with Beyond Meat® to offer a meatless burger option in restaurants.
Is this new frontier the latest trend in making produce a center-plate item? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
WEST DES MOINES, IA - Amidst a shifting retail landscape, many retailers have spent 2017 making big strategic moves. Another company throwing its hat in the ring is Hy-Vee, according to the Des Moines Register. The company will be building its first distribution center outside of Iowa. The company plans on opening a 1-million-square-foot facility in southern Minnesota, potentially located near Austin, MN.
“The site in Austin is being considered for the project due to its centralized location in the company’s eight state territory, interstate access as well as the community’s ample workforce,” Hy-Vee said in a statement to the Register.
The project will be completed in phases, with construction anticipated to begin in 2019. The company has not yet purchased the 150 acre plot of land identified for the facility.
The West Des Moines-based retailer has been expanding in the Twin Cities in recent years, having opened its seventh grocery store in the metro area, and the 24th in the state, in August.
In addition to this new center, Hy-Vee has two existing distribution centers in Iowa.
How will this move impact the ever-competitive retail grocery industry? Check back with AndNowUKnow as we report.