CHILE - The Chilean citrus crop kicked off strong this year, with the arrival of Chile’s largest cumulative citrus export crop to date. Continuing that trend, the Chilean navel crop is going strong for the season, which will end in October.
“August is the month of greatest navel supply out of Chile. As of August 6, Chile had shipped 94% of all navel exports to the U.S. Volume shipped here YTD is 53,413 tons, up 27% from the same time last year,” commented Karen Brux, Managing Director, Chilean Fresh Fruit Association.
For a sneak peek at the Chilean navel crop, the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association has footage directly from the source. Karen Brux offers a demonstration of the sweet, juicy, high brix crop from a sunny winter day in the Chilean navel orchards. Take a look at the video below.
For all the latest fresh produce industry news, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
CALIFORNIA – Water storage projects throughout the Golden State are officially competing for a share of $2.7 billion in state bond funds earmarked via Proposition 1—a bond measure passed by voters in 2014. According to a News Deeply report, a dozen projects are currently in the running for Water Storage Investment Program funds to be distributed by the California Water Commission and used exclusively for “public benefit.”
According to the news source, projects must have demonstrable public benefits such as enhancing flows for fish habitat or improving flood control—and must also demonstrate some benefit to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem, the largest estuary on the Pacific Coast and source of most of the state’s freshwater.
“We’re happy to be at a point that we actually have tangible projects that are applying for funding,” said Chris Orrock, Public Information Officer for the Water Commission. “Now the hard work of technical review is getting started.”
The projects proposed by applicants include a number of improvements to city water infrastructure, projects to fund recycling and groundwater storage on agricultural land, and others, but the list of 12 projects is largely comprised of reservoir creation or expansion projects.
Applicants include a number of public agencies and “joint powers authorities,” among them the Contra Costa Water District, the San Joaquin Valley Water Infrastructure Authority, the Nevada Irrigation District, the City of San Diego – Public Utilities Department, and the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District. Applicants have thus far applied for nearly $5.8 million in funds—more than two times the available funding.
And while many have stressed the need for new and improved water projects in the wake of a protracted drought—from which the state only recently recovered—some critics have expressed dismay at the various projects involved.
Jay Lund, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Davis, told News Deeply that Californians may have unrealistic expectations of new water projects—particularly with regard to water storage.
“The public evidently had tremendous expectations for storage in approving this bond—largely unrealistic expectations,” Lund said. “It’s not like the 1950s or 60s when people thought you could solve all the water scarcity problems by building new storage. Today, the more storage you build, the less additional water you get out of that storage…It’s not just about building new storage. There’s a whole raft of other things we need to do to rejigger California water to make it more modern to meet the uses we have—now and in future.”
The Water Commission’s review of the various proposed projects will be completed by mid-December, and the commission plans to work in close collaboration with other state agencies—the Department of Water Resources and the Department of Fish and Wildlife, for example—to review each proposal’s claims. After this time, the commission will embark on another review of the finalists and schedule hearings on each project. In June, the commission will rank the projects and make a final decision about how much funding each project is eligible to receive.
For more on this situation as it develops, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
SALINAS, CA - Coastline Family Farms has just welcomed practiced produce and procurement veteran Tami Gutierrez to the team as its newly created Vice President of Sales and Marketing position.
“I am excited for this new opportunity to expand my managerial responsibilities and have an opportunity to identify, develop, and execute new growth strategies for the company and our customers,” Tami said. “I have known and admired Larry and Tina Cox, the grower/owners of Coastline Family Farms, for many years and admired the organization they have built. I am thrilled to become an integral part of their company.”
Tami is joining the Coastline team with more than 25 years of experience in the industry, starting off her career with Sysco’s accounting and moving up rapidly as a buyer, overseeing seven of its OPCO’s in 1989, according to a press release. She then moved on to handling sales and marketing for Growers Vegetable Express in 1996, as well as product buying and production coordination.
“We are delighted to have Tami join our company in this new executive management role and lead the Salinas-based Coastline Family Farms sales and commodity teams,” said Robert Verloop, COO/GM for Coastline Family Farms. “She is a proven produce pro with extensive experience in multi-channel sales, account management, production forecasting, product procurement, and commodity management. She knows what it takes to manage a successful sales and marketing program that is integrated from the 'field forward,' while cultivating customers who seek to establish partnerships with growers.”
Most recently, Tami worked for Ippolito International as its Vice President of Sales and Cauliflower Commodity Manager. During her ten-year tenure, she coordinated production planning, harvest forecasting, and managed Mexican-grown and cauliflower commodities. She also directed the sales team, who serviced a range of key national and regional retail, as well as foodservice and wholesale distributors.
“At Ippolito, I was fortunate to be part of a dedicated team and a wonderful grower network,” Tami commented. “I am grateful to the owners and the overall organization for their support. But, I am especially fortunate to have had an exceptional mentor in Butch Corda, who has guided me throughout my career.”
Coastline Family Farms is an independent, privately held, and vertically integrated year-round shipper of more than 25 fresh vegetable products. The company farms in California, Arizona, and Mexico, still operating under the management of the company’s partners, who remain directly involved in the daily business.
Congratulations to Tami and the Coastline team on this newest chapter.
TEXAS & LOUISIANA - Tropical Storm Harvey made landfall on Friday night as a Category 4 hurricane in Southeastern Texas, and news coverage has called the region's flooding caused by the event "unprecedented." Top rainfall has been recorded near 31 inches, as of Monday morning, according to AccuWeather. According to the latest reports, though it has stalled into a tropical storm, Harvey’s rain will continue pummeling the coast through Texas and Louisiana through the end of August.
“This is a devastating flooding event, the likes of which we have not seen in at least the last 12 years, since the Hurricane Katrina disaster,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio said, according to the report.
Communities have been inundated with water from the downpour, resulting in massive infrastructure damage and power outages, while the additional rainfall anticipated in the week may push levees and drainage systems past their limits. In addition, Bloomberg reports that approximately one quarter of oil and natural gas production from the region, and more than 10 percent of U.S. refining capacity has been affected. CNNMoney predicts that the impact could include gas price spikes across the nation.
“There will be locations receiving at least 40 inches of rainfall when all is said and done,” Rossio said, according to AccuWeather. “There is some possibility it reacquires some of its lost intensity if it gets back over the Gulf of Mexico. This would yield more gusty winds right along the Texas Coast.”
AccuWeather has stated that the prospect of Harvey ramping back into a Category 1 hurricane is unlikely, though the risk of isolated tornadoes and waterspouts remain near and northeast of the center of the storm. The major risk moving forward is the continued deluge of rain, which will compound damages and make it difficult for emergency crews to restore infrastructure and power in the region.
What will the Harvey’s final impact be? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we bring you the latest.
NUEVO VALLARTA, MEXICO - AMHPAC, the Asociación Mexicana de Horticultora Protegida AC, held its 10th annual congress last week, August 24th-25th, bringing together roughly 400 national and international leaders in the produce industry, including public officials, producers, marketers, supply-chain representatives, researchers, and consultants from 23 states throughout Mexico, as well as representatives from the United States, Canada, Holland, Spain, and Australia.
The event included 50 sponsors with booths in the commercial area of this event and more than 100 meetings were held between producers and 19 buyers from both the United States and Canada. Buyers included representatives from Church Brothers Farms, Double Diamond Farms, Mastronardi Produce, SunFed, Triple H Produce, and more.
“We were very pleased with the success of the event, which brought together participants from six countries to address the issues involving the North American market,” said Special Projects Manager Jose Maria Gaxiola Duarte. “We would like to thank all our participants for making the tenth annual event our most successful Congress to date.”
The event kicked off with a welcome party at the Hard Rock Hotel, where participants broke the ice with cocktails, networked, and became familiar with AMHPAC members.
A 5K race followed the next morning, the fourth of its kind hosted by AMHPAC, involving more than 50 racers. According to a press release, participants enjoyed a great weather and an atmosphere of camaraderie as they ran. Sponsors included Rijk Zwaan, GPC, Pharr International Bridge, and INPOSA Farms, and winners included Erving Garcia from Lakeside Produce and Monica Hernandez from Horticola JEHERSA.
An opening ceremony followed the race, with attendees from various public organizations, including: SAGARPA, FIRA, FOCIR, INEA, AGROASEMEX, Secretaría de Economía, BAMX, and the National Financial Development.
A General Assembly followed, during which inaugural President of AMHPAC, Oscar Woltman, addressed attendees, unveiled this year's activities, and disclosed financial updates.
The organization also recognized several members and advisors of AMHPAC for their work, including:
- Eric Viramontes Serralde. (VISER Proyecta)
- Carlos Espinoza Pablos. (EPSA Farms)
- Javier Rivas Olmedo. (Biotech de Salvatierra)
- Antonio Rodríguez Hernández. (Grupo Los Pinos)
- Humberto Castillo Rodriguez. (Rancho Piedra de Luz)
- Rosario Antonio Beltrán Ureta. (Agrícola BelHer)
- Fernando Cabral Zasati. (Agrícola La Maceta)
This was followed by an emotional tribute to AMHPAC Founder and President César Campaña Acosta—who passed away last December, including a commemorative piece delivered by his brother Horacio Campaña.
And after the general assembly, the day was included a number of conferences, addressing various issues including the impact of NAFTA renegotiations, trends, production, and regulations in the North American market.
Sessions included:
- Trends of consumption, production, and regulation of the organic market–Tonya Antle (Organic produces Network OPNConnect).
- Impact of the renegotiation of the NAFTA–Arturo Juarez Juarez (Ministry of Economy).
- Grafting of vegetable crops with beans magical–Andrés O’Hagan (Open Magic Group).
- Panel on New Markets–Roberto De La Torre Mendívil (COMCE Chiapas), José Antonio Peral Vallejo (Promexico), Rosario Antonio Beltrán Ureta (agricultural Belher). Moderator: Alfredo Díaz Belmontes (AMHPAC).
- The intergenerational survival of an agricultural family company– Manuel Díaz Salazar (law firm Diaz Salazar y Asociados).
- Tomato Agreement of Suspension–Robert LaRussa and Lisa Raisner (Shearman & Sterling). Moderator: Martin Ley (Fresh Evolution).
- Mexican Elections in times of populist revolts–Javier Tello Díaz (Mexico Speakers).
AMHPAC’s 2017 Grower Member Award was given to Arthur Nicolas, Director General of Frutos de Huerta Real SPR de RL for outstanding participation in the organization. And a 2017 Sponsor Member Award was granted to Serretek Greenhouses. Nicolás Camacho, Director General of the company, received the Commemorative Medal of the event.
The event concluded with dinner and drinks at a networking event entitled “Rock Beach Party.”
For more on important events in our industry, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
AVONDALE, PA - To-Jo Mushrooms is launching a new value-added product this week with long-time retail partner Food Lion.
Called Mushroom Chop, this 6-oz. till of triple-chopped white mushrooms provides a ready-to-blend product with ground proteins.
“What our team really likes about The Mushroom Chop is that it hits on convenience and offers the consumer a value-added product with versatility,” said Kevin Delaney, VP of Sales and Marketing. “Having the support of both the Produce and Meat departments from Food Lion is game-changing for us. This new product launch and promotion has the potential to make a significant impact in the blendability trend for the industry.”
Officially launching on August 30, Mushroom Chop will be cross-promoted with ground beef in the meat department through September 12 in over 1,000 Food Lion locations, according to a press release. The launch will also be supported with a peel-off recipe label, and a $0.50 rebate on ground beef sales when combined with the purchase of Mushroom Chop.
“We are always excited to partner with To-Jo on the introduction of new products and trends at the store level,” said Traci Donaldson, Food Lion Category Manager. “With Mushroom Chop, we will be able to showcase the blend initiatives in an exciting new format, giving our customers additional uses for mushrooms and helping to grow the category.”
To-Jo Mushrooms said that it will provide both Food Lion employees and consumers with helpful tips, a blended burger recipe, and suggested uses for Mushroom Chop.
An instructional video for blending with Mushroom Chop will also be featured on To-Jo Mushrooms’ Kitchen Live platform via their social media platforms under #kitchenliveseries.
Find out more about the blend initiative, its benefits and versatility, by visiting http://www.mushroominfo.com/mushroom-blendability/.
BELLEVUE, WA and BAKERSFIELD, CA – Private investment firm Arable Capital Partners (Arable) has announced the closing of its debut fund; the fund, devoted exclusively to food and agricultural investing, secured $300 million in total capital commitments.
“The formation of Arable is primarily driven by the attractive investment opportunities we are seeing throughout the market and a belief that Arable is uniquely suited for the food and agribusiness sector with our team of experienced agricultural operators and investors,” said Managing Director Derek Yurosek, in a press release.
With experience in real assets, both as investors and hands-on operators, Arable has partnered with investors that both share the long-term vision and have significant capital to deploy. Leveraging the team’s operating track record of managing and growing successful agribusinesses, complemented with strong investing and deal structuring experience is what makes Arable unique and allow the company to make sizeable investments while maintaining a family business culture.
“Arable is a natural progression following the track records created in both agribusiness and investing that this team has built over the past decade,” noted Greg Richards, Managing Director of Arable. “We are excited to execute on our food- and agriculture-focused investment strategy by partnering with companies and management teams in the industry with a shared long-term vision.”
Arable is focused on investing in operating businesses throughout the entire agriculture sector, from seed to shelf, partnering with family operators and management teams along the way. According to the company’s press release, Arable was created by industry veterans to fill the gap in food and agriculture investing, combining a long-term investment horizon with deep industry experience. The company targets 15+ year investments in food and ag, because the nature of the agricultural industry requires a long-term view.
For more on all things produce, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
JACKSONVILLE, FL - When it comes to Anthony Hucker’s plan to beat out Southeastern Grocers' competitors, it all comes down to one thing—making customers happy. Newly appointed as President and CEO after a few months as Southeastern Grocers’ interim leader in lieu of the exiting Ian McLeod, Hucker enters his new role at a time when the grocery business is fraught with competition. With economical uncertainty mounting as Amazon steps up to the plate and discount retailers continue to multiply, the Jacksonville Daily Record sat down with Hucker to delve deeper into his plans to navigate these choppy supermarket seas.
“You have to listen loudly, you have to listen really loudly, because your customers will tell you what it is they want,” Hucker tells the source, explaining that when retailers listen, customers will come back and will come back more loyal than ever.
In Hucker’s retail career, he has spent stints as President and CEO of Schnucks, President of Giant Food, Head of Walmart’s Strategy and Business Development Division, and 10 years building the ground floor of Aldi UK. Now, these big retail names are just a few of those he goes head to head with on a daily basis.
“If you talk to economists that are agnostic about industries, they would say that this is probably the toughest industry in the economy, bar none,” Hucker said last week at the company’s Baymeadows headquarters, according to the Daily Record. “It’s probably the toughest sector in the toughest segment of the toughest industry in the economy today.”
In just the past few weeks, the industry has seen major moves from Amazon and Whole Foods, remodeled stores from The Fresh Market and Publix, and new locations from Earth Fare, Aldi, Lidl, and Walmart—just to name a few.
“You always have to be alert to what the competition’s doing,” Hucker said. “I believe, No. 1, that our associates are our greatest asset; No. 2, that we put our customers first always; No. 3, we care about the community,” adding that No. 4 is providing stores that customers can trust to deliver quality, service and value daily.
Right now, we are in a deflationary environment, Hucker says, but will be turning into an inflationary one. Whereas businesses might lower prices to capture customers in a deflationary market, Hucker sees that transforming into increased sales in the third quarter.
“Some of those headwinds are turning into tailwinds as we go into the middle of the third quarter, and deflation will turn into inflation in quarter four,” explaining that he sees sales rising in the near future.
Training employees to put customers first is a sales increasing strategy that Hucker continues to turn to as he is interviewed by the Daily Record. The company’s greatest asset and “key differentiator,” he says, is its employees who will activate the mission of operating stores “with stunning fresh quality, with prices that compete, with an effective supply chain, working smartly, and selling the service with personality.”
For Southeastern Grocers, this also means changing its products. In February, the company announced it would roll out reformulate its private-label products, launching three new brands: SE Grocers Essentials, SE Grocers, and Prestige, offering customers a 20 to 30 percent discount on their groceries.
Southeastern Grocers employs an array of food technologists, whose job it is to reverse-engineer the raw materials of well-known brands and adjust the level of ingredients to suit customers’ preferences and create a new product. Hucker says the company’s tagline is, “If you can’t taste the difference, why pay the difference?”
Will these targeted attempts to breed customer loyalty pay off for Hucker as the company heads into one of the most tumultuous grocery markets in recent memory? AndNowUKnow will definitely be keeping a close eye on the ambitious retail vet as he continues steering the ship forward. To read Hucker's full interview with the Jacksonville Daily Record, click here.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Agricultural gurus were put to the test with last week’s Tanimura and Antle PlantTape® Quiz Quix, as the entire supply chain raced to be the fastest and the best. We offer two top prizes, one to the fastest overall winner and one for the top buy-side contestant.
The competition was hot in this round of Quiz Quix, with contenders like Dan Tukendorf of the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers' Association, Mark Munger of 4Earth Farms, Mark Colvin of Save Mart Supermarkets, and Jim Bower of Sobey's heating up the scoreboard.
After reading the quick prompt, contenders raced through the seven comprehension questions for the most correct answers in the least amount of time for the chance at a $100 prize. In this edition of Quiz Quix, the contender who took home the top overall score was Jeff Simonian, Sales Manager for Simonian Fruit.
“Hopefully my boss doesn’t see this…[that's] my sister,” Jeff mentioned about his big win.
Leading up the buy-side was, Senior Purchasing Manager, Gene Harris, of Denny’s who is taking home $100, who had this to say about his win, "I was very interested in this week's topic as I think PlantTape is a great invention and development in many ways; efficiency, reduced labor, and improved yields! Thanks for the information and opportunity!"
Congratulations to both winners!
See who else rocked the competition on the leaderboard, below.
Which question proved to be the most challenging?
Most Missed Question:
At what stage can PlantTape seedlings be planted?
Answer:
Nearly any stage of maturity
In case you missed it, you can try your skills and compare your scores with our winners here.
And to compete in Quiz Quix events to come, just sign in either via email or one of several social media accounts, and you’ll be all ready to jump into the competition for $100 cash!
Quiz Quix is our way of encouraging some healthy, fun, informative competition within the industry. Signing in will give us a token to verify you and allows us to put your name in the ranking. It doesn't give us access to more than your name and email address. Participants must have a valid email address registered in their individual name in order to play.
FLORIDA - We all have heard of pregnancy cravings and the bizarre mixtures they can create, but for the professional tennis player that the Women's Tennis Association has ranked world No. 1 in singles on eight times from 2002 to 2017, it’s all about the veggies.
Serena Williams’ fiance, Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian, recently hit the town on a Friday night because the sports pro and health pillar was in need of several different greens.
“It’s Friday night, I’m at Publix going shopping because my fiance has cravings,” Ohanian shared on a social media video.
He, like the rest of us, heard cravings were a byproduct of pregnancy. And, like us, he was surprised at the list the mother of his unborn child gave him:
- Zucchini
- Asparagus
- Artichoke
Is her baby tapping into her healthy lifestyle? I, for one, know that my family tends to want for banana splits and Hostess doughnuts, but I can see how this would work out much better for both infant and mother.
It’s also great to see the Reddit leader out doing some late night grocery shopping to satisfy those veggie cravings. See for yourself in the above video he made.
We’ll continue to keep an eye out for big names making headlines while boosting fresh produce, so stay tuned.