WOLCOTT, NY - Fowler Farms, the New York apple company with more than 150 years of growing experience under its belt, is making new moves to offer top-of-the-line food safety standards to its customers. The company has announced that Edith Skellie will be joining the team, working as Food Safety Manager under JD Fowler.
In her new role, Edith will be tasked with maintaining proper regulatory protocols, as well as documenting, monitoring, and collecting data from trials and experiments to improve growing conditions. According to a press release, her sphere of influence will reach from in the orchard and throughout all facilities and grounds that Fowler Farms operates.
“Edith has been a pleasure to work with and has a firm grasp of the work involved to keep food safe. Fowler Farms is fortunate to have such a dedicated person on our team,” shared David Williams, VP of Sales and Marketing.
A graduate of Cornell University and bringing experience from growing up on a dairy farm, Edith has both educational and hands-on training with operations in and around a farm. During college, Edith spent two summers scouting orchards and recording diseases and pests to help farmers in diagnosing problems before reaching the critical point of the growing cycles. The company shared that she is enthusiastic about food safety and feels it is critical to maintaining a fresh supply of healthy fruit and fruit products to consumers.
Fowler Farms is located in Wolcott, NY, and is a major grower, packer, and marketer of apples, committed to the safest possible fruit in the marketplace today. With Edith’s announcement signaling a major commitment to this end, AndNowUKnow will keep our eyes on this growing company.
BENTONVILLE, AR – Walmart is taking to the skies in an effort to gain an edge on competitors. Last weekend, the company filed for a patent for what reports are calling a floating warehouse—a blimp-style, gas-filled aircraft intended to receive and disburse shipments via unmanned aircraft.
The patent, filed August 17, 2017, details plans for “gas-filled carrier aircrafts and methods of dispersing unmanned aircraft systems in delivering products.” The patent goes on to detail a flying machine that would fly between 500 and 1,000 feet high, contain several launch bays, and could be operated by a human pilot or automatically.
“In a modern retail environment, there is a need to improve the customer service and/or convenience for the customer,” Walmart’s filing states. “One aspect of customer service is the availability of products. The availability of products is dependent in part on the distribution of products. There are numerous ways to distribute and deliver products. Getting the product to a delivery location, however, can cause undesirable delays, can add cost, and reduce revenue.”
News source Bloomberg has speculated that the patent may represent the latest battleground in an ongoing “clash” between Walmart and Amazon. Amazon filed a similar patent late last year and followed it up with even more futuristic flight plans—including a phalanx of interconnected drones.
Recently, Bloomberg reports, Walmart has stepped up its efforts to create patents and gain a competitive edge via technological innovations.
Will the future of fresh food be delivered to consumers via a network of autonomous aircraft? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
KINGSVILLE, ON - On the heels of entering a new U.S. state with an Ohio greenhouse, Mastronardi Produce has announced yet another move for growth closer to home. The company has expanded its exclusive partnership with Golden Acre Farms to extend its local produce production with a greenhouse facility in Kingsville, Ontario.
“This local partnership right here in Kingsville will enable us to reach more Canadian consumers and provide that fresh, local flavor, even in the middle of winter,” shared President and CEO Paul Mastronardi.
The newest addition to the company’s reach will bring SUNSET® brand cucumbers to more Canadians year-round, according to a press release. Spanning 21 acres of fresh cucumbers, using advanced supplemental lighting to continue producing through the winter, Golden Acre’s President and Owner, Luis Chibante, expressed his own enthusiasm for the next step in the partnership.
“I’m excited to continue working with the SUNSET® team and harvesting our new crop this week,” Chibante said. “We’re incredibly proud to bring our community high-quality, local produce.”
With SUNSET® cucumbers already available, you can get more information on how to order by emailing the company’s sales team at [email protected].
ILLINOIS – The purity of blueberries is serving as the keystone to a new lawsuit filed against Dunkin’ Brands. A complaint filed in federal court alleges that Dunkin’ Donuts has named and marketed its blueberry-named bakery products as if they contain real berries, and not imitation berries.
The lawsuit alleges that the chain’s products contain imitation blueberries instead of true berries “that highly resemble actual blueberries due to their round shape and color,” according to USA Today. Furthermore, the suit states that if the plaintiff, Bartosz Grabowski, had known the products didn’t contain the real blues, he would either not have purchased them or paid significantly less for the goods.
Grabowski’s attorneys have filed the lawsuit as seeking class action status, and $5 million to remedy the situation.
Dunkin’ Donuts lists blueberries as an ingredient in its blueberry muffins, but not in its assortment of blueberry doughnuts. The doughnuts, rather, use a mix of non-fruit ingredients to simulate blueberries, which the lawsuit alleges is meant to deceive consumers.
“Through its manufacturing, marketing, and sale of the Blueberry Products, Defendant [Dunkin' Donuts] has represented that the Blueberry Products contain actual blueberries,” the suit states. “Defendant has named the Blueberry Products as 'Blueberry Butternut,' 'Blueberry Crumb Cake,' and 'Glazed Blueberry,' indicating that the Blueberry Products contain actual blueberries.”
A key component of the complaint, the lawsuit also asserts that consumers would be willing to pay more for goods containing blueberries due to their health benefits. The goods that do not contain actual blueberries are also placed alongside other products that do contain the blueberries they are named after, the suit states.
Ultimately, US Today states, the suit aims to define whether it is okay for the company to call and market a product “blueberry” when it contains no actual fruit. If the lawsuit holds its ground in court, the chain may have to change its marketing for these products but historically, US Today states, it is unlikely the plaintiffs will receive a large payout due to the juxtaposition between the health benefits consumers look to in blueberries versus that of doughnuts.
The complaint was filed in the United States District Court in the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division.
Will blueberries true nature be revealed in court? AndNowUKnow will report.
MONROVIA, CA - Trader Joe’s has a bit of a reputation for its cult-like following, exemplified by its consistent ranking in the top five consumer favorite stores three years running in a Market Force survey. This weekend, the long-lived supermarket is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend.
With festivities scheduled, the company has also released a list of just over 50 products which have proven to be crowd favorites, collecting data from crew members and shoppers alike. As produce's number one fans, we love the value-added and fresh produce items which made the list.
Below is just a taste of the fresh fare which made an appearance.
Kohlrabi Salad Blend
A crispy-crunchy blend of shredded kohlrabi, red cabbage, kale, and golden beets that is delicious raw or sautéed. It's a perfect summer delicacy, and a true superhero of salad mix.
Organic Broccoli Slaw
With organic broccoli stems and vibrant orange carrots, this slaw is prime for a world of flavor opportunities. It's just as tasty when tossed with dressing and eaten raw as it is cooked or added as a topping to a variety of entrees. Not to mention, this crunchy blend is an easy way to add nutrition to any meal.
Plumcots
This juicy drupe is a winner. The red-skinned, red-fleshed cultivar plumcots have a swift season which keeps consumers clamoring for more.
Just Mango Slices
True to its name, this product doesn't mess around. This item is strictly business, with dried Kent, Haden, Keitt, or Ataulfo mangos making appearances in the bag, depending on the season. The mangos are peeled, seeded, and sliced by hand before they dry. A delectable treat and on-the-go snack.
Check out the full list to discover what else Trader Joe’s has declared in its most-beloved products.
OXNARD, CA – As the company eyes means of expanding its mango and avocado operations and providing the additional flexibility and growth opportunities, Freska Produce International has announced that it has secured $16.9 million of financing with Union Bank.
In a company press release, Freska Partner Jesus “Chuy” Loza was noted as saying that the deal was something that took the building to the next level in business opportunities and development of the Freska brand of products and services.
“Our constant growth and strong financial results are proof we have good momentum in the market and we feel very confident in our new financing partner,” the company noted. “They brought forward some ideas others did not which made it easy to pick them as our new financing partner.”
The new financing provided needed capital to expand warehouse operations in Nogales, Arizona, and Edinberg, Texas, and purchase a new packing house for California avocados. The company also noted that the Union Bank financing will provided capital for other opportunities that may arrive in the future.
The company currently owns locations in Oxnard, California; Nogales, Arizona; and Los Angeles, California, and is currently in the design phase of building a location in Edinburg, Texas.
For more on developments in the fresh produce industry, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
LEAMINGTON, ON - Pure Flavor® is growing its offering space to meet rising demand for premium greenhouse vegetables, announcing a brand new greenhouse facility to be built in Peach County, GA.
“The strategic investment in Peach County, GA, is one that will not only expand our acreage, but also creates opportunities to strengthen and grow our retail and foodservice partnerships across the southeast with Georgia-grown vegetables,” said company President Jamie Moracci.
Moracci and his partners spent nearly two years researching locations across the USA for this expansion, according to a press release. Now, the company will invest more than $105 million USD to build the 75 acre, state-of-the-art, high-tech greenhouse facility and distribution center.
The distribution reach of this latest installation will span 13 states, including Georgia; Florida; the Carolinas; Alabama; Louisiana; Arkansas; Mississippi; Tennessee; Virginia; Kentucky; Missouri; and Texas.
The project is set to take place in three phases, with the first phase providing tomatoes and cucumbers year-round. Each phase will consist of 25 acres to be completed in total over the next five years.
Additional key details include:
- Three miles off of I-75
- New 75,000-square-foot distribution center on site to service the southeast
- Installation of High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lighting to assist with year-round ngrowing
- Creating 200+ new year-round job opportunities over 5 years
- Largest facility of its kind in the southeastern U.S.
Coupled with Pure Flavor’s existing farms throughout Canada, the U.S., and Mexico, the company said that growing in Georgia will further expand the its reach along the eastern seaboard as far north as Virginia, as well as westward to Texas, and down to south Florida with premium greenhouse grown vegetables.
"We at the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Grown are proud to welcome Pure Flavor® to our great state,” stated Gary W. Black, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner. “I am confident this innovative venture will prove to be a real asset to Peach County and to Georgia's entire agricultural sector. Pure Flavor® has indeed found the ideal location for this type of operation and I look forward to working with them as they continue to grow and expand.”
With an eye on developing in Georgia with one of the first significant high-tech builds of its kind in the state, Pure Flavor expressed that this move would be a game changer.
Stay tuned for all the latest key strategies in the produce industry.
HANFORD, CA - For Flavor Tree Fruit, the fall is bringing not only plenty of produce, but an exciting new partnership to boot. Through a new partnership with one of California’s major pomegranate players, SunnyGem™, the company will be offering the category for the first time ever, with plans to bring on plenty of value-added goodies by season’s end. Truly a 0 to 60 endeavor for the now eight season old company, I spoke with Flavor Tree’s Sales Manager Maurice Cameron about what’s in store for the fruitful new partnership.
“During our first eight season’s as a company, Flavor Tree Fruit has mainly focused on California cherries and stonefruit, but this year we are excited for this to be our first year marketing for fresh pomegranates,” Maurice tells me. “Through this new partnership with SunnyGem, we will be marketing over 2,500 acres of pomegranates—that’s over 1 million cartons. We’re already have a pretty extensive customer base, but now that we’re becoming a major player in the pomegranate deal, we’re looking to make new connections.”
Maurice tells me that the company will start shipping its San Joaquin Valley-grown Wonderful variety pomegranates in mid-October, with plans to continue shipping through February. And because Flavor Tree Fruit has its own packing facilities, cold storage, and controlled atmosphere technology, Maurice says the company will be one of California’s last pom shippers in the game.
In addition to the tray pack cartons that the industry is used to seeing their pomegranates in, Flavor Tree Fruit will also be marketing its SunnyGem products is a variety of packaging, both traditional and value-added.
“We also offer retailers pom bins and club packs, and later on in the season we’ll be adding a number of value-added pom products,” Maurice says. “We’ll be introducing packs of pomegranate arils, as well as SunnyGem branded pom juice. This we’ll make us a provider of one of the only providers of pom juice that is not made from concentrate and using this season’s crop.”
Want to learn more about Flavor Tree Fruit and how you can add SunnyGem pom products to your stores? Visit www.flavortreefruit.com.
JAPAN - Starbucks you’ve gone and done it again–giving a favorite dessert of mine new life in the form of a frozen beverage, yet launched it in a country I am not currently residing.
I am speaking of the company’s most recent introduction: the refreshing Key Lime Cream and Yogurt Frappuccino.
Though Starbucks may be known as a coffee powerhouse, it seems to be more and more interested in the flavors of fresh produce. This latest product has been added to a slew of fruity creations, one more gift for consumers before the summer runs out.
Made from a fresh custard sauce containing key lime juice and lime peel, Teen Vogue and I both agree that though the combination of cookies, whipped cream, and caffeine could seem a shock, key lime yogurts have proven that it might be crazy enough to create a craze.
The fruity dessert drink–which wraps the limey custard into a smooth yogurt and buttery, crisp-crusted cookies–has been introduced to the Japanese market, which brought back some pangs of the sadness I felt when we reported that the company’s Sangria Red Tea was launched in South Korea. But while I’m sure by the ingredients alone that these beverages are sure to win the hearts of its audience, we might have to wait a bit longer before it is launched in the U.S.
Will we see a cappuccino powered by fresh sweet potatoes or even a new apple introduction for the Fall to compliment the inevitable Pumpkin Spice Lattes? If so, AndNowUKnow will report it to you first.
JACKSONVILLE, FL - This week The Fresh Market has unveiled an enhanced format, focused on offering a fresh and interactive experience, in the Jacksonville area. Events marking the occasion have been scheduled from August 16-20, according to a press release.
“The refresh of our Jacksonville-area stores helps redefine the shopping experience for our guests,” said Brian Nicholson, Interim Chief Executive Officer. “A commitment to fresh has always been a priority, and our guests’ love of food remains at the heart of what we do. We are pleased to invite our Jacksonville-area neighbors on a culinary journey filled with an exceptional, hand-picked selection of the freshest foods created from a host of international food artisans, farmers, fishermen, and culinary creatives, as well as our own private label, in an environment that welcomes inspiration and delights the senses.”
These stores were the focus of the project:
- 840 A1A North, Ponte Vedra Beach
- 12795 San Jose Boulevard, Jacksonville
- 13493 Atlantic Boulevard, Jacksonville
- 150 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville
At the refreshed stores, the company is debuting interactive sample stations. Other new features of the stores include aisles labeled for dietary restrictions, a holistic Mind & Body department, and expanded product offerings.
How else will retailers mix up their strategies as the industry plows ahead? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to report.