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SALINAS, CA – The Tanimura & Antle artisan family is expanding with the addition of its new Artisan Dew Drop Cabbage. In the past year, the company’s in-house product development has piloted the item through growing locations to test for year-round availability, and is officially increasing the volume of the program, according to a press release.
"More than ever before, consumers are seeking unique, specialty alternatives to traditional commodity items at their local grocery stores. Our Artisan Dew Drop Cabbage fits perfectly into our Artisan Product line and we’re excited to provide a new product with farm fresh flavor, quality, variety, and value to not only our customer, but consumers as well,” said Jeff Jackson, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).
Like many of the company’s custom packaging designs, the Artisan Dew Drop 2 ct. retail bag is unique to Tanimura & Antle and serves as a protective barrier for the product at the grocery store level. The innovative package design was crafted to fit the unique shape of the product and shares a recipe suggestion for consumers.
The product is a natural fit for restaurants, as well. Available in a 24-count foodservice case, the initial interest and demand for the item has stemmed from restaurants and foodservice customers. The Artisan Dew Drop Cabbage was highlighted in the new product showcase in July at the annual Foodservice Produce Marketing Association Conference in Monterey, CA. Due to the overwhelmingly positive response from chefs and attendees, the company expanded acreage to fully launch the program into the market.
Artisan Dew Drop Cabbage is a spherical, teardrop-shaped variety of cabbage that elevates the everyday meal experience in both restaurants and consumer’s homes. With an exceptional shelf-life of 21 days, this innovative product easily replaces traditional varieties of cabbage in common recipes with a more tender texture and sweeter taste than a standard head of cabbage. The petite size and unique shape of each Artisan Dew Drop Cabbage head allows for quick and easy preparation, as well as flexibility in size and cuts. Like other Tanimura & Antle Artisan® Family products, Artisan Dew Drop Cabbage packs a high-yield with a petite size, making the product more manageable in the kitchen and decreasing the amount of waste in consumer’s homes.
With both foodservice and retail packs, the company expects the program to mirror and potentially surpass the growth of its other Artisan items and plans to explore offering the item organically in the future. Artisan Dew Drop Cabbage joins an already proven successful product line including Artisan Lettuce, Artisan Romaine, Artisan Sweet Broccoli, and Artisan Sweet Red Onions.
The Tanimura & Antle Artisan® Family of fresh produce includes select seed varieties that have been carefully chosen for premium flavor, freshness and variety. All Artisan products are field-packed for optimum freshness and packed with care by our employee owners to protect each product and extend shelf-life.
See the Artisan Dew Drop Cabbage foodservice pack for yourself at the Southern Innovations Foodservice & Organics Expo September 29th in Hilton Head, NC. Visit Tanimura & Antle at booth #303.
LEAMINGTON, ON - For Highline Mushrooms, being a strong company goes beyond just dollar signs and bottom lines, but instead extends to the community at large. Each year, the company hosts a family picnic, where Highline supports a variety of local community initiatives. For 2017, Highline announced a $50,000 donation to the Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Foundation (WECAF), which was then allocated towards the organization’s Leamington Homework and Back to School Programs.
“Highline is committed to supporting all of the local communities where we operate,” shared CEO Aaron Hamer upon announcing this year’s donation. “We are thrilled to support an organization like the Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Foundation to give as many children as possible a chance to be on an equal footing.”
According to a press release, the goal behind Highline’s generous donation was to both provide the area’s children with essential school supplies, as well as helping to foster self-confidence and academic performance. Supporting and being involved in various local community programs has been, and continues to be, an important mandate for Highline, and with this donation, the company says it hopes to bring a positive impact to the children of Essex County.
“Giving kids in difficult situations the tools to succeed, as simple as a backpack with all of the necessary school supplies, or a safe space to get tutored and do homework with the most up-to-date technology, is consistent with our values at Highline,” Hamer added.
Want to learn more about Highline and its full line of mushroom offerings? Visit www.highlinemushrooms.com for all the details.
NEW YORK CITY, NY - Eataly has entered the increasingly-competetive convenience category.
Founded by Oscar Farinetti and brought to the U.S. with partners Mario Batali and Lidia and Joe Bastianich, this brainchild has become known as the "Disney of food," and it's not enabling consumers to take home its culinary creations, launching the grab-and-go meal concept Eataly Pronto.
Pronto is currently only available in the chain's premier U.S. location of Manhattan, but should be spotted in other Eataly locations down the road, a representative of the company told Eater.
Currently, Eataly Pronto is available in the store’s standalone refrigerator with a number of salads and sandwiches, according to the news source. All items are priced between $6 and $13; Eater points out that side salads, like one made with beets and ricotta salata, are priced around $6.
Pronto’s prices are comparable to lunch options at other grab-and-go chains such as U.K.-born chain Pret a Manger and Snap Kitchen, of Austin, TX.
It seems with the vast growth of the on-the-go market that the sky is the limit for this potential new chapter of the popular brand. AndNowUKnow will continue to eye this and other trends influencing the fresh produce industry.
MCALLEN, TX & ATLANTA, GA - ScanTech Sciences has announced the completion of two important milestones on the path to opening its first Electronic Cold-Pasteurization™ (ECP™) food treatment center. First, the company has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer with the addition of Dwayne House to the leadership team. Secondly, the company has selected its managed labor services partner in Freight Handlers Inc (FHI) to help operate the facility.
“I’m honored to be selected to guide ScanTech Sciences as we deliver a far superior option for food treatment to the industry,” said Dwayne House, CEO. “Our team will be ready to help growers, wholesalers, and retailers provide consumers with higher quality and safer produce.”
The company says that the ECP is a clean alternative to outdated post-harvest treatments such as methyl bromide or hot water treatment, and results in pest sterilization, pathogen reduction, and shelf-life extension. Under the leadership of House, ScanTech Sciences will further its mission to improve produce quality and safety, helping the entire food chain deliver fresher, higher quality fruits and vegetables.
“With over 25 years of international transactional and operational experience, Dwayne is the perfect fit for leading ScanTech through a pivotal time as we staff up to become fully operational in McAllen and implement our expansion strategy with additional locations,” said Dolan Falconer, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board.
The McAllen facility will treat produce travelling to and from the United States and Mexico. Partnering with FHI, ScanTech Sciences will provide its advanced ECP treatment as part of an integrated program that includes logistics services such as expediting border crossing and USDA processes, product traceability, and smart palletizing along with information services such as document management and shipment visibility.
“We are excited to partner with ScanTech Sciences to introduce a new era in food pasteurization and integrated logistics services,” said Reid Durst, President & COO of FHI. “Our teams are working together closely to prepare for the opening of ScanTech’s McAllen food treatment facility early next year.”
The ScanTech Sciences facility is projected to bring more than 175 jobs to the Rio Grande Valley with open positions in the McAllen facility, including areas of maintenance (managers, technicians - electrical I&C, mechanical), process operators, engineers, food safety, warehouse positions, and administrative positions. ScanTech Sciences and FHI will host a job fair on Tuesday, September 26 from 6-8pm at the McAllen Convention Center.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – Less than two weeks after an 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico along the Pacific Coast, another powerful quake has hit the the nation's capital. This latest earthquake occured this Tuesday, toppling buildings in and around the capital, damaging infrastructure including roads and airports, and resulting in untold devastation.
The earthquake registered a 7.1 magnitude with an epicenter near Raboso less than 100 miles outside Mexico City, according to a USA Today report.
Initial reports noted damage to many structures, with residents taking to the streets to avoid debris and driving traffic to a standstill. Property damage, injuries, and fatalities were widely reported throughout the city and surrounding areas.
President Enrique Peña Nieto tweeted Tuesday afternoon that he had rerouted a flight to Oaxaca to return to the nation’s capital and deal with the effects of the quake. And Peña Nieto has continued to report on the work being to alleviate the effects of the disaster. The New York Times noted that the President has convened the country’s National Emergency Committee to assess the situation and coordinate relief efforts.
The earthquake occurred on the anniversary of a 1985 quake which, USA Today noted, devastated the city and destroyed 100,000 homes.
The effects of the earthquake are still in the initial stages of being assessed and AndNowUKnow will continue to report with updates as they occur.
WASHINGTON, DC - The National Venture Capital Association, which represents hundreds of top VC firms, along with other plaintiffs, filed a legal complaint against the Trump Administration on Tuesday, according to the Wall Street Journal. The claim states that the Department of Homeland Security did not follow mandatory administrative procedures as it delayed the beginning of the International Entrepreneur Rule, a bipartisan Obama-era rule which would have let foreign entrepreneurs apply to work in the U.S. if their startup raised $250,000 from U.S. investors, or showed other evidence of rapid growth.
On July 10, the Trump Administration said that it would postpone the start of the program by eight months, a period in which the department would obtain public comment. In the complaint, the plaintiffs argue that the Department of Homeland Security violated the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to solicit public comments before making the decision to delay the rule.
In the suit, the group hopes to reverse the decision to delay the rule and allow entrepreneurs who qualified for the International Entrepreneur Rule to start applying for temporary work status. According to the source, the move “reflects a widening rift between many technology-industry leaders and the Trump administration on immigration and other issues.”
In defense of its actions, the agency said that “it planned to rescind the rule in part because managing a foreign-entrepreneur program would take up resources it needs to carry out its existing immigration programs.”
This action comes on the heels of backlash from across industries, including from tech investors, regarding President Trump’s Deferred Action for Child Arrivals ruling. According to the source, tech investors say immigrants are valuable contributors to the U.S. economy and have founded dozens of large companies that employ many American workers.
How will these, and other important immigration rules, impact the produce industry? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to report.
SALINAS, CA - Produce Alliance has strengthened its sales force with the addition of produce veteran Bill Bastian, who has joined the team as its new VP of Business Development, Sales.
“As I begin my role as VP of Business Development, Sales, I am getting more energized every day about how my experiences and perspective will be complemented by the strength and expertise of the Produce Alliance organization,” Bill shared with ANUK. “I will be focusing on helping Produce Alliance pursue new avenues of growth, solidify existing relationships, and develop an even more responsive sales team to meet the needs of our evolving industry.”
Bill brings over thirty years of produce know-how, the company said in a release. From owning and running his own produce company, GW Produce, to managing sales functions and serving as a General Manager at Produce Alliance member house LaGrasso Brothers, and most recently serving as Vice President of Sales at a national produce procurement company, he has a vast range of winning produce experiences and leadership prowess.
“We are extremely excited about Bill joining Produce Alliance,” George Melshenker, President & CEO, commented. “He is a stand-up person who is so knowledgeable and well respected in the industry. I am delighted to have Bill represent Produce Alliance to our growers, distributors, and our customers. His experience as a distributor and business developer will help all the components of Produce Alliance."
Produce Alliance said that as it continues to grow and evolve, it looks forward to leveraging all that Bill brings to the table for a collective success.
Congratulations to both Bill and his new team!
CINCINNATI, OH - If you think taking on Amazon will be a tough mission to tackle for Kroger, try taking on national hunger and food waste. In a new $10 million program dubbed Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, one of the nation’s largest grocery retailers is launching a national effort to both end hunger in its communities and eliminate waste across the company by 2025.
“No family in a community we serve should ever go hungry, and no food in a store we operate should ever go to waste,” said Rodney McMullen, Chairman and CEO. “More than 40 percent of the food produced in the U.S. each year goes unconsumed, while one in eight people struggle with hunger. That just doesn’t make sense. As America’s grocer and one of the largest retailers in the world, we are committing to doing something about it.”
For the new initiative, Kroger looks to take on the paradox of both food insecurity and food waste existing simultaneously. The company projects that approximately 42 million Americans struggle with hunger, while an estimated 72 billion pounds of food ends up in a landfill every year. With Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, Kroger will invest $10 million in a fund that tackles both issues in a variety of ways.
“We don’t–and we won’t–have all the answers,” said Jessica Adelman, Group Vice President of Corporate Affairs. “While we are clear about our vision, we are flexible about how to get there. We are working closely with both Feeding America and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), our longstanding partners, to develop transparent metrics to track our progress.”
In a press release, Kroger outlines the following goals as part of its latest plan:
- Accelerate food donations to provide three billion meals by 2025 to feed people facing hunger in the places Kroger calls home.
- Donate not just more food, but more balanced meals via Kroger’s fresh food donations program. Kroger has been feeding people facing hunger since the company’s inception in 1883 and as a founding partner of Feeding America.
- Advocate for public policy solutions to address hunger and to shorten the line at food banks, lobbying for continued funding of federal hunger relief programs, and for public policies that help communities prevent and divert waste from landfills, including recycling, composting, and sustainability programs.
- Achieve all Zero Waste 2020 goals outlined in the annual Kroger sustainability report.
- Eliminate food waste by 2025 through prevention, donation and diversion efforts in all stores and across Kroger. Develop transparent reporting on food loss and waste.
- Join forces with both new and longstanding partners to identify opportunities, leverage data, and determine where by working together Kroger can help the most.
- Transform communities and improve the health of millions of Americans by 2025 by making balanced meals more readily available, sharing scalable food waste solutions with other retailers, restaurants and local governments, and working within Kroger’s supply chain to reduce farm-to-fork food loss.
“Zero Hunger | Zero Waste is a vision for the America we want to help create with our associates, customers and stakeholders. This is our moonshot,” McMullen said. “We recognize we have a lot of work to do. But we know when Kroger’s more than 443,000 associates put their passion to work to make something happen, we can uplift our communities, the planet, and each other.”
If you'd like to follow Kroger on its mission or join the conversation yourself, visit thekrogerco.com and #ZeroHungerZeroWaste.
CULIACÁN, SINALOA, MX - As we look toward the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018, many companies are addressing new initiatives to carry them into, and through, the New Year. One of those companies making strides to tackle the constantly changing fresh produce landscape is AMHPAC, which is positioned to help its grower members prosper, as well as the industry at large.
President Oscar Woltman joins me to speak about the association’s plans moving forward, and what we can expect from the growing sector of fresh produce from Mexico.
“Over the coming year, AMHPAC will be continuing to position our association to grow in new markets and expand in current ones,” Oscar shares. “We believe Asia and Central America are excellent potential markets where we can grow our presence. Currently, we are working with the Mexican embassy, as well as the embassies in China and Japan to build those relationships further.”
For AMHPAC, these relationships aid and stimulate exports and keep the conversation engaged and forward-looking. From trade shows to new investments within the international community, the association is looking at the future as filled with opportunity. And speaking of investments, as AMHPAC’s members and reach grows, the group will be making infrastructure investments and stimulate the government to do investments in areas such as air freight facilities and shipping programs. The new Mexico City Airport should be able to move large volumes of air transported produce.
“The government has to assure trade and phytosanitary agreements to allow produce trade,” Oscar shares, adding that the association takes all necessary steps to ensure the growth is supported and the steps taken are exact.
On a global scale, produce from Mexico is generating more demand each year as Oscar adds, and this is the call that the country is responding to.
“Mexico has the land and the climate. We have the technology, the quality, and we can easily increase production on items from berries to avocados. And, we can export almost year-round as well,” he adds.
AMHPAC is also working towards an insurance fund for members as banks require insurance in order to lend money to the greenhouse industry.
“We want to take care of our members and help promote strategic growth for our association and all involved,” Oscar says. “If we create our own fund, all members will pay a certain fee per hectare. If there are no claims, then the fund can reduce the cost next year. But the point is that this will give our members an opportunity to expand their operations. We saw the lack of a commercial insurance, so we started our own.”
The program hopes to be up and running in 2018. Along with the insurance fund, AMHPAC is also creating a financial fund for investments on a commercial basis, and one that has is not on a subsidy basis.
With the second half of the year flying by, AMHPAC is running full speed ahead to evolve its program and the fresh produce community in Mexico and beyond. So stay tuned, as we bring you more from AMHPAC and its vision and goals for the coming year.