LOS ALAMITOS, CA - Beyond cutting their lunches into fun shapes and disguising them in slurping-sleeves, Frieda’s is teaming up with those supplying school districts with fresh ideas to entice kids to eat more fruits and vegetables.
“We offer customized programs with fun and exciting fruits and vegetables like starfruit and watermelon radishes. They can really set our customers and their school districts apart,” said Jeff Kelly, Sales Manager. “Thanks to our unique product selection and our team’s expertise with FFVP (Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program), we know what a school district needs, and we can help win the bids.”
Planning for the coming academic year begins now for wholesalers and foodservice distributors supplying schools, Frieda’s said in a press release. The USDA’s FFVP grants funds for elementary schools to offer free fresh fruit and vegetable snacks, helping kids learn to make healthier food choices.
“We’re making an impact on America’s future and our growers’ sustainability in the industry,” said Kelly. “Kids love to try new things, especially when it’s colorful, flavorful, and fun; specialty produce gets them excited about fruits and vegetables.”
Wholesalers and foodservice distributors interested in including specialty produce might look into offerings from Frieda’s like:
- Rambutan
- Cape gooseberries
- Baby bok choy
- Organic finger limes
Those interested in learning more about how Frieda’s can help innovate their FFVP can contact the company’s account managers.
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Yuqing (Henry) Wang of Flushing, NY, for failing to comply with employment sanctions under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
According to a USDA press release, the USDA and Yuqing (Henry) Wang entered into a consent decision and order finding that Wang violated section 8(b) of PACA by being employed by a PACA licensee between July 2014 and September 2015 while under employment sanctions. As a result of the consent decision and order, Yuqing (Henry) Wang’s employment sanction was extended for a one-year period beginning July 12, 2017.
The PACA Division, which is part of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to PACA including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,500 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. Its experts also assisted more than 8,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $140 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
DELANO, CA - Retailers looking to capture sales in the produce department know that California table grapes are a hot destination, and this year they are as highly coveted as ever. As we move through the second half of the summer and look towards fall, Columbine Vineyards is bringing a full portfolio to the table with proprietary varieties leading the way.
Sales Manager Keith Andrew took a moment to share the progress of Columbine’s season so far, and what we can expect as September’s cooler temps approach.
“We have had very good quality and flavor in all varieties from the beginning through this point in the harvest,” Keith shares, adding that volume will be roughly the same as last year, though the heat related issues have tightened supplies.
“Markets on all varieties have been very good to excellent so far, especially on all the Red Seedless varieties in the valley. Currently, it is the same or higher than the past couple of years to date. Demand has stayed ahead of supplies for red varieties since the beginning and fairly good for the green and black varieties. But quality is still at the peak of flavor and we are excited to move into our proprietary varieties.”
Columbine will begin harvesting its proprietary Milano® and Black Globe® grapes at the end of this month in addition to Krissy, Scarlet Royal, and Red Globe varieties. With the company’s proprietary Holiday® program approaching in September, Keith tells me that sizing and quality look very good at this point.
“We will have more volume this year compared to the past three seasons. Having sufficient water from the wet winter, along with newly drilled wells, has been a wonderful blessing that has allowed us to give the plant whatever amount of water it has needed to stay healthy and hydrated during this extended heat spell we are experiencing this year,” Keith said.
Columbine will be packaging all of its grapes in high-graphic, stand-up bags with additional POS material like recipe cards, display, and poster graphics.
Stay tuned as we bring you more on the California table grape market and Columbine Vineyards!
BATAVIA, IL – Looking to gain an edge in an increasingly competitive retail market, Aldi has announced a new partnership today with technology-drive grocery delivery company Instacart. According to an Aldi press release, the new pilot program—beginning later this month in key markets including Los Angeles, Dallas, and Atlanta—will give more shoppers access to high quality groceries at discount prices.
"Our partnership with Instacart is another example of Aldi expanding our commitment to customer convenience and value," said Jason Hart, CEO. "We know customers are looking for new ways to save time and money. Instacart provides easy access to our low prices at the click of a button."
According to Aldi, the new partnership allows customers to conveniently complete their grocery shopping by ordering award-winning Aldi products for delivery in as little as one hour. The Instacart experience, the company notes, is as easy and convenient as in-store shopping; customers fill their virtual carts by visiting Instacart.com or downloading the Instacart App, and at checkout, customers can choose a delivery window that works best with their schedule, anywhere from an hour or up to a week later while Instacart's personal shoppers do the rest.
"From their unique assortment of goods to their low-price commitment and high standards, the Aldi and Instacart partnership aligns on delivering excellent value and convenience to consumers," said Nilam Ganenthiran, Chief Business Officer, Instacart. "There's a clear demand for quality grocery delivery, and Aldi and Instacart are working together to meet it."
To celebrate the kickoff of the two companies’ pilot program, Aldi and Instacart are offering customers $20 off their first Instacart order with code ALDIDELIVERY until September 30.
AndNowUKnow will continue to report with developments in grocery retail.
MONHEIM, GERMANY – Extending its global reach even further, Bayer has announced a new exclusive distribution agreement that will be used in various crops worldwide. The company stated that it has entered into this agreement with SICIT 2000 S.p.A.
"Biostimulants enhance our Crop Protection portfolio. They are a complementary tool in integrated crop management programs and help farmers worldwide increase yields and marketable quality in a sustainable manner," said Hartmut van Lengerich, Head of Cereals, Oilseed Rape, Rice, and Fungicides at Crop Science, a division of Bayer. "Crops suffer from a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. Solutions like Bayfolan™ Cobre and Bayfolan™ Aktivator stimulate plant growth and improve the plant’s natural resistance to environmental stress."
SICIT, based in Arzignano, Italy, is one of the world’s largest producers of biostimulants based on amino acids and peptides for agriculture, according to a press release. Through this agreement, Bayer will commercialize Bayfolan Cobre and Bayfolan Aktivator for foliar uses in crops throughout the globe.
"We are proud to sell our proven high-quality amino acids and peptides to Bayer, a leading provider of innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture," said Oreste Odelli, Managing Director at SICIT. "We were the first company to introduce biostimulants based on amino acids and peptides in the 1960s and are today the worldwide biggest manufacturer, present in more than 50 countries."
Biostimulants based on amino acids and peptides can be used efficiently in a variety of applications in both agriculture and horticulture. Bayer stated that key crops are fruits and vegetables like grapes and tomatoes, in addition to coffee and rice. Used at low application rates in spray and fertigation systems, biostimulants are able to improve crop performances by stimulating root, shoot, and fruit growth and flower fertility. Bayer said that biostimulants also enhance plant tolerance to stress and crop quality traits.
Bayer stated that the long-term experience and flexibility of SICIT’s manufacturing process allows for a wide range of standard and special products meeting customers’ needs to be obtained.
In general, Bayer illuminated, products that contain highly-concentrated amino acids boast a longer shelf-life, reduce water usage, and are also authorized for use in organic farming throughout Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Bayer noted that because of their natural origin, they are exempt from MRLs in many countries.
For more information, visit here.
COLLINSVILLE, IL - Sev-Rend Packaging has its eyes on strategy for its newest product debut. The High-Performance packaging provider has expanded its manufacturing capabilities to introduce new stand-up pouch bags to the Sev-Rend repertoire.
“Adding custom pouches to our product line allows Sev-Rend to not only service new customers, but also to help supply existing customers with another packaging vehicle,” CEO Rob Williams shared. “This move aids to assist our current customer base along with allowing us to penetrate new commodity markets.”
Sev-Rend’s goal with the new pouches is to focus on consumer pack sizing and custom-sized pouches that can be made project/customer-specific. According to a press release, the demand for pouches as a packaging vehicle has been growing rapidly over the past several years, and Sev-Rend’s vertically integrated manufacturing process helps the company to provide them without hindering either lead times or quality. As pouch bags become a preferred packaging type for many commodities, Sev-Rend seeks to answer that demand as a local source with quicker lead times.
In addition to its packaging offerings, Sev-Rend also provides its clients with a Research & Development division that specializes in specialized packaging development solutions. The company explained that by offering its own pouch manufacturing capabilities, Sev-Rend is able to answer the growing need for specialized pouches. One such item that helps meet this need is the Clear-View Pouch, launched at the 2017 PMA Fresh Summit, that offers opaque front and back panel with a clear view bottom for produce viewing.
Want to learn more about Sev-Rend's full line of tags, labels, manufacturing netting, film, and pouches that cater to the produce industry? Visit www.sev-rend.com.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Amazon made headlines earlier this year with efforts to break into brick and mortar retail by acquiring Whole Foods. And now the company is reportedly exploring ways to further its food delivery services. Reuters reports that Amazon is currently in talks to test a cutting-edge technology first developed to provide the U.S. military tasty meals that require no refrigeration.
"They obviously see that this is a potential disruptor and an ability to get to a private brand uniqueness that they’re looking for," Greg Spragg, a former Walmart executive who heads a startup working with Amazon on the technological innovation, told Reuters. "They will test these products with their consumers and get a sense of where they would go."
Spragg's company, Solve for Food, is working on implementing machines that can process as many as 1,800 packages an hour. And officials at the Bay Area-based startup told Reuters that Amazon may be selling ready-to-eat dishes—such as vegetable frittatas—as soon as next year.
The technology in question, microwave assisted thermal sterilization (MATS), is a food-prep process originally developed by researchers at Washington State University (WSU) in conjunction with the U.S. Army’s Natick laboratories. The method involves placing sealed packages of food in pressurized water that is then heated with microwaves for several minutes. Whereas traditional processing methods involve pressure cooking for hours, the MATS process’s quickness allows fresh-focused dishes to retain their natural flavor and texture.
In February of this year, Amazon sent a team to WSU to meet with Juming Tang, Chair of the school's biological systems engineering department and a key developer of the technology. And in March, the retailer joined the university's researchers and other companies in Seattle for the inaugural meeting of the Industrial Microwave Alliance, a group working to "accelerate technology transfer of microwave-based food safety."
While the desire to pare away expenses associated with refrigeration and food safety throughout the supply chain is understandable, according to Reuters, some in the industry are skeptical of consumer demand for products prepared with MATS, especially as consumers increasingly gravitate toward the freshest products possible.
"I get why new food processing systems that increase shelf-life may be good for Amazon," Bentley Hall, CEO of fresh food delivery service Good Eggs, told the news source, "[but] I struggle to see how this solution addresses an actual consumer want or need better than fresh, prepared meals."
Could this technological innovation give Amazon an edge as it makes its way further into fresh grocery retail? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
NEW KENSINGTON, PA - With information, comes knowledge–knowledge that can specifically translate into boosted profit margins and loyal consumers. Yerecic Label is looking to tap in on that exact state of mind through its latest sponsorship project; the Power of Produce study.
As Marketing Manager Kristin Yerecic recently told me, this study was cultivated specifically to examine the patterns behind consumers’ produce purchases. This information can arm produce companies across the board with improved operations and communication to consumers.
“The Power of Produce provides key insights into shoppers’ mindset, while preparing and completing the produce purchase,” Kristin says. “The focus of the study is to determine the how and why behind consumers’ produce purchases. The study focuses on every aspect of these purchases from promotion research, to channel selection and growth attributes to areas for produce department improvements.”
The study was created from the inspiration of other “Power of” studies across the perimeter by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), and comes out yearly with its findings. Commissioned by FMI, 210 Analytics, LLC conducts the study with sponsorship from Yerecic Label and Hillphoenix. All the companies work together as a team to support and showcase The Power of Produce data throughout the industry.
“We were approached by Rick Stein, FMI’s VP of Fresh, with the opportunity to become a sponsor of the study. We agreed very quickly after we saw the type of value the report has offer,” Kristin tells me. “Of all the companies involved, we are all tied together through a similar mission. We know how important and insightful this research is for the produce industry.”
Insights from the survey are overlaid with real-time sales time from IRI and Nielsen, to ensure that the survey’s findings between what shoppers are saying they do and what they are actually do truly align.
“Whether you are looking for a full overview of the path to purchase for produce shoppers, or are just interested in learning about the growing claims and topics in the produce industry, The Power of Produce has something to offer everyone,” Kristin finishes. “My favorite part about the study is that we are able to see historic trends, and address new topic areas as the study continues.”
This year's study launched on August 1, 2017, and can be accessed in a variety of way. Yerecic Label is offering presentations of the study to new and existing customers with a focus on improving point of purchase communications. The full 50-page report is also available online through the FMI store.
As Yerecic Label continues to look towards innovations and new concepts to uplift the produce industry, count on AndNowUKnow to report on its latest endeavors.
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Hop Hing Produces Inc., New York, NY, for unlawful employment of an individual under PACA (Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act) employment restrictions after being given notice by the USDA that the company was not permitted to employ that individual without USDA approval and the posting of a surety bond.
According to a USDA press release, USDA and Hop Hing Produces Inc. entered into a consent decision and order dated July 31, 2017, finding that the company violated section 8(b) of PACA and revoking the company’s PACA license. However, the finding and revocation was stayed so long as the company paid a civil penalty of $40,000 no later than Aug. 30, 2017. The company satisfied the terms of the consent decision and order and the finding of violation and license revocation was dismissed without further process and the case was closed.
USDA is required to publish the finding that a business has committed willful, repeated and flagrant violations of PACA as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business during the violation period. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors or major stockholders may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA-approval.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,500 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. Its experts also assisted more than 8,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $140 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
ISSAQUAH, WA – Costco Wholesale Corporation announced this week that it has elected a new Chairman to the company’s Board of Directors. Hamilton E. “Tony” James has been named to the position.
James has served on the company’s Board of Directors for nearly three decades. He joined the Board in August of 1988 and has operated as its Lead Independent Director since 2005.
James is currently the President and Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone Group—a publicly-owned private equity firm, hedge fund sponsor, and provider of financial advisory services. According to Blackstone's executive profile, James is also a member of the Board of Directors of Blackstone Group Management LLC and Blackstone’s Management Committee.
Prior to joining Blackstone, James served as Chairman of Global Investment Banking and Private Equity at Credit Suisse First Boston. Before the acquisition of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ) by Credit Suisse First Boston in 2000, James was the Chairman of DLJ’s Banking Group, responsible for all the firm’s investment banking and merchant banking activities. James joined DLJ in 1975 as an Investment Banking associate. He became head of DLJ’s global M&A group in 1982, founded DLJ Merchant Banking, Inc. in 1985, and was named Chairman of the Banking Group in 1995.
Additionally, James is a Trustee of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Member of The Boards of Trustees of the Mount Sinai Health System, Member of the Center for American Progress Board of Trustees, Vice Chairman of Trout Unlimited’s Coldwater Conservation Fund, Trustee of Woods Hole Oceanographic, Trustee of Wildlife Conservation Society, Advisory Board member of The Montana Land Reliance, and Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of American Ballet Theatre. He is also a former member of the President’s Export Council - Subcommittee on Technology & Competitiveness.
James graduate from Harvard College in 1973 with a BA, and subsequently earned a MBA with high distinction from Harvard Business School, graduating as a Baker Scholar in 1975.
Costco currently operates 737 warehouses, including 512 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 97 in Canada, 37 in Mexico, 28 in the United Kingdom, 25 in Japan, 13 in Korea, 13 in Taiwan, 8 in Australia, 2 in Spain, 1 in Iceland, and 1 in France. Costco also operates e-commerce web sites in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Korea, and Taiwan.