KINGSVILLE, ON - Red Sun Farms is celebrating a new milestone marked in 2017, having just announced that the growing company made this year’s PROFIT 500 list.
A ranking of Canada’s fastest-growing companies by five-year revenue growth, PROFIT 500 looks to profile the country’s most successful growth companies through joint venture between Canada’s premier business and current affairs media brands, according to a release.
“Red Sun Farms being included on this list is a testament to our team and their hard work and dedication to our customers,” said the company’s President, Jim DiMenna. “This exemplifies the benefit of our vertically integrated business model, which controls every aspect of our product from seed selection to delivery, and provides our customers a consistent high-quality product whether it originated from Mexico, United States, or Canada.”
Developed by PROFIT and now published in Maclean’s Magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com, the PROFIT 500 has been assessing the success of companies based on their leadership, innovations, business strategies, and management tactics for 29 years.
“It is never easy to earn a spot on the PROFIT 500, but this year’s applicant pool was the most competitive yet,” commented Deborah Aarts, PROFIT 500 Program Manager. “This year’s winners demonstrate the resilience, innovation and sheer management smarts it takes to build a thriving business today. Canada—and the world—needs more entrepreneurial success stories like these.”
Results of the annual ranking, as well as stories profiling the growth leaders who made the list, will be published in a special report in the October issue of Maclean's Magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com.
DECATUR, AL – In its continuing effort to expand westward across the United States, Lidl US has confirmed that it is planning to enter the Alabama grocery market—with a new store coming to Morgan County. According to a local news source AL.com, the new store in Decatur will be the retailer’s first foray into the state.
Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling announced the planned location Wednesday night via Facebook.
“Decatur will soon be home to Alabama's First Lidl US Grocery Store. Lidl 'rethink grocery' promotes a less complicated process that allows them to simply deliver low prices, high-quality, and the best shopping experience for their customers,” the Facebook post noted. “The location is Beltline and Glenn St. which means new opportunities for Hwy 20 and Calvary Assembly! The ripple effect is tremendous for Decatur.”
The Decatur Daily, another local news source, confirmed the announcement with Decatur Development Director Wally Terry.
Lidl has been making steady progress throughout the southern U.S. since the company entered the U.S. in June of this year. In addition to opening locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, the company has opened distribution centers and regional headquarters in Maryland and Georgia, and bolstered its real estate team by hiring an experienced Senior Director of Real Estate.
AndNowUKnow will continue to report with more news on Lidl as they continue to expand into the U.S. retail market.
IRWINDALE, CA - Those mushy, lumped together, refrigerated soups are soon to be a thing of the past, thanks to Ready Pac Foods’ new line of fresh offerings. The company’s Fresh Prep’d Soup Kits put a fresh spin on grab-and-go soups and lunchtime staples, allowing consumers to have a new healthy and filling option, packed to the brim with the veggies that Ready Pac has made its name by providing.
I grabbed Vice President of Marketing Strategy & Operations AJ Bernstein to give me the figurative scoop on what makes this line so special.
“All of these items are packed separately, so that they’re not combined until the moment the consumer is ready to eat it,” AJ tells me about one of her favorite aspects of the Fresh Prep’d line. “So, that means the carrots in the soup still taste, and look, and crunch like a carrot, and the spinach still looks and tastes like spinach—it’s not all kind of glopped together.”
As CEO Tony Sarsam told us on our sister site, Deli Market News, the Fresh Prep’d Soup line includes varieties across the flavor spectrum, including:
- Chicken Noodle
- Chicken Tortilla
- Italian Style Wedding
- Tuscan White Bean
- Asian Inspired Beef
“The other thing that I think is awesome, because I happen to be very familiar with picky eaters, is these are totally customizable,” AJ adds. “So if you open the kit and you don’t like jalapeños—out they go and you make the item without those jalapeños. People can decide how much, or how little—or none—of an item they want to choose to go in.”
Want even more details on Ready Pac’s line of produce-centric soups? Watch my full interview with AJ above, and visit www.readypac.com.
GRANT, MI - Riveridge has launched a venture into a new category, announcing the opening of Riveridge Cider Co, a 17,400-sq.-ft facility cold pressing and bottling blended fresh apple cider as well as varietal blends of Fuji, Gala, and Honeycrisp. The fully operational facility has the capacity to fill and bottle 30,000 gallons a day.
“Thanks to our many years in the produce business and the invaluable relationships, we felt we were uniquely positioned to market and grow Michigan cider,” said Don Armock, President. “We want to encourage the consumption of fresh Michigan cider year round and by building our own facility, we are able to get to the capacity the market has been calling for.”
The first bottles rolled off the line on Friday, September 8, beginning with the blended gallons and half gallons. As the Fuji, Gala, and Honeycrisp apple varieties are harvested, cider will ramp up production on the varietal blends.
“Having a backdrop of modern vertical and V-trellis orchards right outside our doors–a nearly 360 degree view of apple trees, makes Riveridge Cider Co truly farm to bottle,” said Eric Rockafellow, Operations Manager. “Building a cidery from scratch provides a number of opportunities to pick and choose what’s important when it comes to equipment, variety blends, etc. to make the cider we want to make–one with consistent flavor no matter the time of year.”
Eric, the twenty-two-year cider veteran, has been leading the charge of the operation which began this past spring by converting existing controlled atmosphere storage buildings into a modern, year-round producing cidery. Rockafellow is tasked with managing every aspect of the supply chain–from sourcing apples to helping to service the customer making sure they’re getting the order quality and quantity promised.
Riveridge markets about 35 percent of the Michigan fresh apple crop positioning Riveridge Cider Co uniquely to source the best of Michigan’s cider apples. At the same time, often less than 50 percent of the fresh apples make it into a consumer package to be consumed as fresh apples. This extra inventory is poised for great tasting cider.
When creating the vision for Riveridge Cider Co, one of the main goals was consistent flavor. This played a factor when selecting equipment for the operation. The company installed German pressing equipment purpose-built for high-end wine making. This precision equipment, all-stainless holding and mixing tanks and a continuous cold chain from pressing through to delivery, ensures quality of flavor and safety for the consumer. The entire operation is backed by a quality assurance team and an in-house lab for analyzing quality and safety.
Check back with AndNowUKnow as we share the latest in new ventures from across the fresh produce industry.
FOWLER, CA - Fall is near, and the autumn signals the beginning of Bee Sweet’s domestic season, along with the arrival of popular specialty varieties for California’s citrus industry. This year, the Bee Sweet marketing team has decided to kick off the season with an extension of their #EatMoreCitrus campaign.
“When consumers go to the grocery store, we want to make sure that they have all the information necessary to buy the citrus they love,” said Director of Communications Monique Bienvenue, according to a press release. “That’s why our marketing team has decided to kick off our domestic season with an extension of our #EatMoreCitrus campaign; highlighting information specific to our specialty varieties.”
Specialty citrus refers to specific varieties that are not readily available year-round. Cara Caras, Blood Oranges, Pummelos, Melo Golds, Grapefruit, Gold Nugget Mandarins, Minneolas, and Meyer Lemons are just some of the varieties that Bee Sweet provides to its consumers during its domestic season. In addition to their unique taste, specialty citrus also offers a plethora of health benefits.
“Specialty citrus is a growing phenomenon in the food industry because we’re constantly learning of its unique characteristics, and all the ways it can be incorporated into meals,” continued Bienvenue. “We want to make sure that consumers have the knowledge they need to make decisions that cater to their specific health and culinary preferences.”
With a growing focus on consumer health and wellness, Bee Sweet’s marketing team will share variety specific recipes and health-tips to encourage consumers to be more creative with citrus in the kitchen. Throughout the duration of the 2017-2018 domestic season, Bee Sweet’s marketing team will focus on educating consumers on the unique attributes of specialty varieties. Each month will highlight a different variety, and several contests will be held through Bee Sweet’s social media platforms that will give consumers the opportunity to win prizes.
Specialty varietals are prominent during the months of October through April. For a complete list of varieties and their availability, please visit Bee Sweet’s website at http://www.beesweetcitrus.com/variety-availability/.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Target’s 1,816 stores are gearing up for one of the biggest retail seasons of the year with all hands possible on deck. The retailer is hedging its holiday bets with its largest seasonal hiring spree in recent years: 100,000 temporary employees.
It’s a more than 40% increase from last year’s seasonal hiring spree of 70,000 workers, and the retailer plans to add even more to it with 4,500 jobs opening its distribution centers in anticipation of more online orders.
"Target has made significant investments in our business throughout 2017, and our commitment to hire 100,000 team members for the holidays will make shopping at Target even easier and more fun during one of the busiest times of the year," Chief Store Officer, Janna Potts, said in a press release. "As always, we will provide our seasonal team members with meaningful opportunities to build and develop skills, and offer great benefits, including a variety of schedules and team member discounts."
President of Consumer Growth Partners Craig Johnson told CNBC in a recent interview that the second half of the year should be stronger for retail, and it should be okay to hire with that attitude, commenting, "Now we're watching the whole industry."
"Seasonal hiring is an indication of where the market is headed. If they're hiring more people, this is good news. Retailers that are hiring more people are doing press releases. ... Conversely, if you're not hiring a lot of people, you're not doing a press release," Johnson stated.
In addition to market-competitive wages and a variety of schedules, benefits Target said it is offering include a 10 percent merchandise discount at Target and Target.com and an additional 20 percent wellness discount on fruits and veggies, Simply Balanced brand foods, and C9 athletic gear.
As it has in past years, Target said it will also give current team members the chance to bolster their schedules with extra holiday hours.
The seasonal hiring begins Oct. 13. A full list of open positions can be found here.
EL SEGUNDO, CA – Beyond Meat®, the plant-based burger innovator, announced a partnership with one of the nation’s largest food distributors—Sysco. The foodservice provider will add Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger®, a plant-based burger designed to look, cook, and satisfied like traditional beef, to its Sysco’s Cutting Edge Solutions (CES) program.
“Similar to how we’ve partnered with conventional grocery stores to bring the Beyond Burger to the meat aisle where everyday consumers shop for protein, we are thrilled to be a part of Sysco’s Cutting Edge Solutions program to bring The Beyond Burger to menus alongside beef at thousands of mainstream restaurants nationwide,” said Ethan Brown, CEO of Beyond Meat, in a press release.
According to the company’s release, the exclusive deal between Sysco and Beyond Meat will allow the ground-breaking Beyond Burger to be distributed in thousands of burger joints, restaurant chains, hospitality properties, healthcare centers, and educational facilities nationwide.
Beyond Meat also noted that the company’s partnership with Sysco represents a broader cultural shift, as U.S. consumers increase their consumption of plant-based foods. According to a recent NPD Study, 70 percent of meat eaters are substituting a non-meat protein in a meal at least once a week, and 22 percent say they are doing it more often than a year ago. And while taste remains a key factor in food purchases, increasing concern for the health benefits of foods are one of the top reasons consumers have opted to sub in plant-based protein.
The Beyond Burger is primed to tap into that increasingly health-conscious consumer base with a naturally cholesterol-free product boasting 20g of protein. The Beyond Burger also contains no GMOs, soy, or gluten, making it accessible to a number of groups with dietary restrictions.
“Cutting Edge Solutions is Sysco’s unique product innovation platform designed to give our customers differentiated products and solutions to meet the challenges of the competitive foodservice industry,” said Brian Todd, Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Sysco. “Each year, we evaluate emerging food trends to hand-select our CES featured productions. Our exclusive distribution of the innovative Beyond Burger helps our customers appeal to a growing group of consumers seeking better-for-you products.”
Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger launched in 2016 and is currently sold at grocery stores nationwide. Through its new partnership with Sysco, the company will potentially be able to reach tens of thousands of restaurant and foodservice establishments, enabling millions more people to experience what the company calls the “Future of Protein®.”
Will plant-based foods continue their upward momentum, with products like the Beyond Burger taking center stage in menus across the country? AndNowUKnow will keep you up-to-date.
CASHMERE, WA - As more and more operators begin to recognize the tastebud tantalizing power behind value-added apple offerings, Crunch Pak is expanding its foodservice solutions to match. Now adding foodservice-sized packs of its sliced and cored Apple Rings to the company’s growing line, Crunch Pak is providing operators with less labor intensive solutions to give consumers the apple flavors they are craving.
“The days of producing in narrow categories such as bags have changed,” said Krista Jones, the company’s Director of Brand Marketing and Product Innovation. “Today, a tremendous amount of our foodservice business is in ready-to-eat trays ranging from 2.75-ounce single serves to 42-ounce party trays, and we see that demand growing. And because these rings are sliced, cored, and in uniform sizes, the product saves labor and time in the kitchen and helps eliminate food waste.”
Crunch Pak’s Apple Rings are just one of the new product offerings stemming from the company’s 2016 exclusive agreement with Food Service Slicing, LLC. Operating out of a 26,000-square-foot plant in Selah, Washington, Food Service Slicing is a privately held company that produces sliced apples solely for Crunch Pak’s foodservice customers, including Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A, and Alaska Airlines. With this agreement pushing the company forward, Krista says she sees Crunch Pak continuing to grow the foodservice sector of its business even further.
“Operators save labor and food waste with our products and trust us to follow the utmost in food safety demands. Although Crunch Pak has been in business since 2000, we continue to have many opportunities and expect demand to continue to grow from the foodservice channel.”
Crunch Pak’s Apple Rings are available in 10-ounce and 26-ounce trays, as well as a 24-pound bulk RPC. Available in sweet, tart, and a mixture of both, there are a variety of flavor options to match any consumer’s demands. So, what are a few ways foodservice operators can tap into that demand using Apple Rings?
“Apple rings may be used as an ingredient in baked goods, in salads, in savory applications as well as desserts,” Krista explains. “We’ve seen very creative applications where Apple Rings are topped with peanut butter and mini chocolate chips; or treated like a donut and topped with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles; or used as a crunchy layer in sandwiches such as ham and cheese or Prosciutto and cheese.”
As Crunch Pak continues to expand its solutions for foodservice operators looking to save on labor and food waste, AndNowUKnow will bring you the latest. Until then, check out www.crunchpak.com.
AHUALULCO, MEXICO – Extending seasonality and increasing the company’s supply of high-quality greenhouse-grown goods, Divemex has introduced organic peppers grown at its new facility in Ahualulco, Mexico.
“Divemex continues to lead the industry in many ways, including producing top quality Fair Trade organics,” said Aaron Quon, Oppy’s Executive Category Director, Greenhouse and Vegetables. Oppy is Divemex’s exclusive marketing partner. “They recognized the strength of the organic market, and were able to translate that trend into an even more positive proposition by offering an organic program of the best quality in the business. And it’s backed by a well-recognized socially responsible label.”
According to a press release, these latest offerings from Divemex open a season which promises increased organic offerings and continued high quality from the innovative greenhouse grower. The project is a key part in the company’s new focus on organics—a strategy encapsulated in the company’s new positioning line “Growing Beyond Expectations.”
“We’re investing our energy in areas that can make a meaningful difference for our customers, in this case the availability of superior quality organics,” said Luis de Saracho, Divemex CEO. “Our goal is to grow alongside them by providing peppers that consistently satisfy and delight their shoppers. We strive to offer more than what is simply expected; we want to exceed expectations by always delivering the best eating experience while associating Divemex with doing the right thing for people and the planet.”
Because of the warmer climate in the new facility’s central Mexico location, the Ahualulco greenhouse complex complements Divemex’s existing production in Culiacan and Etzatlan, and extends the company’s growing season by beginning production about five weeks earlier.
“We’re excited to not only jump start the season with Divemex organics peppers, but to have the volume to keep customers engaged through the winter and spring,” Quon said, noting that over 40 percent of Divemex’s offerings, including sweet bell peppers and mini peppers are now organic certified. The grower also offers conventional sweet bell peppers and long English cucumbers.
And, like all vegetables produced by Divemex, the company noted, every red, green, yellow, and orange pepper produced in the new greenhouse is Fair Trade Certified.
Consumers have increasingly become familiar with the Fair Trade Certified seal. According to the 2016 NMI State of Sustainability in America study, some two thirds of the U.S. general public recognizes it—an all-time high—and as much as 73 percent of millennials recognize the certification. Divemex also noted that organic produce sales are up more than 9 percent in the last year—with more than half of organic shoppers professing support for Fair Trade.
Divemex and Oppy promise a number of promotional campaigns in the coming months, noting that customers and consumers will be able to learn more about how Divemex is “Growing Beyond Expectations.” Promotions include: celebrating Fair Trade Month in October, throwing holiday festivities, learning healthy New Year habits, participating in a social recipe contest entailing colorful cookware prizes, and more.
For more updates on the produce industry, look to AndNowUKnow.
MONTEREY, CA - Costco, one of the largest organic food sales retailers in the U.S., will offer an opportunity for certified organic farmers and growers to meet with its buyers at the inaugural Organic Grower Summit. The company will sponsor a half-day Meet the Farmer Event during the Monterey, CA, show, slated for December 13-14.
"Costco is committed to meeting directly with organic farmers, who are truly on the front lines of bringing top quality organic products to market,” said Heather Shavey, Costco’s Assistant Vice President.
Costco, which touts annual fresh produce sales of $4 billion, according to a press release, confirms its participation in the event just one week after all exhibit booths sold out.
As we previously reported, the debut summit is a joint production between California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and Organic Produce Network (OPN) to bring together organic growers, producers, and processors for two days of education, information, and networking opportunities with organic production supply chain and service providers.
“We appreciate the work OPN has done in putting together this unique opportunity to meet face to face with those responsible for actually growing organic products,” Shavey said. “Our buying team is looking forward to learning more about organic production, hearing about new product innovations, and building new supplier opportunities to meet the growing demand for organics for our shoppers."
Costco category buyers that certified organic farmers and grower representatives could meet to discuss their operations and products include:
- Organic Produce
- Organic Dairy
- Organic Meat
- Organic Grain
The event includes a series of educational sessions, keynote presentations, a variety of meal functions, and a sold out exhibitor area, featuring over 70 organic supplier and service providers.
"OGS is delighted Costco is coming to show their support of the certified organic farming community,” said Co-Founder of the Organic Produce Network Tonya Antle. “This is a great opportunity to have organic farmers get in front of Costco to tell their story as part of the inaugural OGS."
Those interested in making an appointment to meet with Costco, can register as an attendee at www.organicgrowersummit.com/registration and click on the "Meet with Costco" tab for further information.
Though exhibition booths for allied service suppliers are sold-out, companies interested in being added to the exhibitor wait list can contact [email protected].
Organic Grower Summit Organic Produce Network California Certified Organic Farmers