OXNARD, CA - As members involved in this vibrant industry we are all, by default, advocates for the long-term success of fresh produce. The responsibility to plant the seeds for a prosperous future rests squarely on all of our shoulders, and Mission Produce is one such champion for this collective cause, nurturing fresh produce enthusiasm through its top-notch internship program.
These lucky internship participants aren’t glorified coffee runners, Mission Produce plans a comprehensive experience for each intern to secure a brighter future for the industry as a whole. I connected with the Mission team to discuss the innovative program, which is just kicking into gear for the summer.
“Our CEO, Steve Barnard, along with the entire leadership team, sees the great value in having a well-defined internship program. Each leader is actively involved in providing the exposure and experiences needed to ready a college student for a successful career,” Tracy Malmos, Chief People Officer, shares about the program. “We established an internship program several years ago, and each year we continue to refine the program to make it more relevant to the business and to the students enrolled. Our mission is very simple; we are seeking the best talent available to help us meet our global growth goals.”
This year, Morgan Levy, HR Business Partner, is coordinating the program from start to finish. She provides a unique perspective, as she completed the internship herself in 2015 and was hired on in August.
“The program is very flexible and provides ample opportunity for interns to explore different career paths. Interns are welcome in every department throughout the organization, so they can see how everything comes together to create a successful business,” Morgan says. “One of my favorite initiatives is the Field to Fork Competition. Over the course of the summer, participants build a twenty minute presentation to give to the executive team, demonstrating the field to fork process. I actually won the competition during my program, and the video I created is used in the organization’s on-boarding process, so it’s invaluable to see the real-life business applications of the interns’ work.”
Alejandra Salazar, Regional HR Manager, joined the conversation to reiterate the value of the valuable experience the internships provide.
“Last year one of the interns created a book, and Steve Barnard loved it so much that he had 1,000 copies printed and distributed to local schools,” Alejandra says. “We also tend to hire people who come out of the program. We see great success from these employees, one of our past interns is now our Director of Global Quality, and another is a Production Manager. The program really sets up participants for success.”
Each year, Mission Produce makes a huge investment in this initiative; offering competitive wages, housing, gym memberships, and more to attract top talent from schools like Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cornell University, UC Davis, Texas A&M, and University of Oklahoma. But, the ROI the company sees more than matches this major undertaking.
“We measure our success by the number of students we hire and retain over the years. During the past two-years we had 21 interns and we will have another 8 interns starting this month. We have hired a high percentage of the seniors from the program who are now working in Sales, Marketing, Sourcing, and Human Resources. Of those hired in this two year period, we have had no turnover,” Malmos adds. “Because of the success of the internship program we can proudly say that our exempt workforce is made up of approximately 60% millennials. Additionally, the interns that we hired in past years have been promoted into significant leadership positions throughout the company. Having the internal talent ready for promotion is our best measure of success.”
As Mission Produce continues to grow rapidly, it also continues to see new possibilities; and the company has a pipeline full of talent to take advantage of the opportunities which carry it towards the future. As Malmos concludes, the company has had major success hiring top talent through the program, providing the company with new and creative ideas, and fostering the perfect environment to see success in fresh produce, together.
LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, CA – Recognized for an innovative supply chain solution, Allen Lund Company (ALC) has received a prestigious award from Supply & Demand Chain Executive (SDCE). The company announced that it has been named as the recipient of an SDCE 100 Award for 2017.
"We are proud of our team that worked so hard to improve the supply chain for our customers. Thank you for recognizing their efforts with this award. Our greatest assets are our employees," said Kenny Lund, VP of Allen Lund Company.
ALC Logistics, a prime provider of TMS Services, was recognized for automating its Dock Scheduling Module and secured ALC’S spot as a SDCE 100 company. This module now allows carriers to make their own appointments, with the appointments then automatically showing up in an integrated TMS. This solution cut out hundreds of thousands of phone calls, giving visibility to all locations and making the entire system more efficient.
The SCDE, according to a press release, is the executive’s user manual for successful supply and demand chain transformation. The SDCE 100 is an annual list of 100 great supply chain projects that can serve as a map for supply chain executives who are looking for new opportunities to drive improvement in their own operations.
"Our goal with 2017's Top 100 is to shine the spotlight on successful and innovative transformation projects that deliver bottom-line value to mid to large enterprises across the supply chain," says Ronnie Garrett, editor of Supply & Demand Chain Executive. "The selected projects can serve as a roadmap for supply chain executives looking for new opportunities to drive improvement in their own operations. We congratulate all of our winners for a job well done!"
ALC noted that the projects named on the list also help their customers and clients achieve supply chain excellence and prepare their own supply chains for success.
Congratulations to ALC on the award! For all the latest in technological advancements and transportation news, stick with AndNowUKnow.
EUROPE, UKRAINE, & RUSSIA - Several companies across Europe, Ukraine, and Russia have all been affected in a new batch of widespread cyber attacks this morning, reporting disruptions that have government organizations taking notice.
From shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk; Russia's top oil producer, Rosneft; Merck, an American pharmaceutical company; Britain's WPP, one of the world's biggest advertising agencies; to Ukraine's international airports and banks, this attack looks to be affecting companies across industries and countries.
Referred to as a “ransomware” attack by the British National Cyber Security Centre, this term generally is used in cases where a malicious software is programmed to blocks access to an affected party’s data, but can also be used in cases where the programmer would threaten to publish or delete said data.
As reported by Reuters, a Ukrainian media company that was one victim of the attack said its computers were blocked and it had received a demand for $300 worth of the Bitcoin crypto-currency to restore access to its files.
The message said, according to a screenshot posted by Ukraine's Channel 24, "If you see this text, then your files are no longer accessible, because they have been encrypted. Perhaps you are busy looking for a way to recover your files, but don't waste your time. Nobody can recover your files without our decryption service."
Reuters confirmed that this same message was one that appeared on computers at Maersk offices in Rotterdam.
“We confirm that some Maersk IT systems are down,” the company wrote in a customer advisory email this morning. “We are assessing the situation. The safety of your business and our people is our top priority. We will update you when we have more information.”
As one of the world’s biggest shipping companies, Maersk holds a market share of about 16 percent, Reuters reports. Maersk's port operator, APM Terminals, was also hit by the attack, with Bloomberg reporting system issues at the Port of New York and New Jersey and Rotterdam in The Netherlands.
AndNowUKnow expects more information to be released as experts get to the bottom of the source of the widespread attacks, so stay tuned for the latest.
BOISE, ID – Albertsons Companies is looking to boost the prowess of its merchandising and marketing, as the company and its banners look to solidify its place amongst consumers. The company has tapped two retail veterans to up the executive charge for its Marketing & Merchandising team and retain Albertsons’ momentum; Dennis Clark and Pat Brown.
“The most powerful asset we have is our incredible team of talented people who day in and day out do what is needed to run great stores and take care of our customers,” said Shane Sampson, Chief Marketing & Merchandising Officer. “Together, Dennis and Pat bring decades of proven experience to their roles that will only strengthen our service to vendors and stores alike as we continue our work to be the Favorite Local Supermarket™.”
Dennis Clark has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Merchandising, from his most recent position as Group Vice President of Marketing & Merchandising. According to a press release, Dennis started his career with Safeway in Utah before joining Albertsons Inc. in 1988. Working his way up through the company, Dennis has held served as VP of Marketing and Merchandising for ACME under both SuperValu and New Albertson’s Inc’s ownership. In 2015, he was named to the company’s integration team to help develop the go-forward company’s operating strategy following the merger close.
Meanwhile, Pat Brown has been named as Group Vice President of Merchandising, leading Deli & Prepared Foods and Business Initiatives. Pat recently joined the company in 2017 as Vice President of Merchandising Strategic Initiatives. Before joining Albertsons, Pat served as CEO for over two years at Natural Markets Food Group. His retail career has also contained roles as COO of New Season Market, and Director of Retail Operations for H-E-B where he was instrumental in developing its Central Market format.
Albertsons stated that these appointments will build on the accomplishments that the company has secured over the last several years. These promotions are just the latest in Albertsons strategic executive appointments, as the company recently named Mike Withers as EVP of its Retail Operations.
Congratulations to Dennis and Pat! For the latest in executive appointments, keep clicking on AndNowUKnow.
WASHINGTON, DC - The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has found Cathy G. Poppell responsibly connected to Wayne County, Georgia-based Poppell’s Produce Inc. Poppell’s Produce allegedly failed to pay 18 of 20 sellers in the total amount of $304,614. This is a violation of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
According to a USDA press release, Cathy G. Poppell, without admitting her responsible connection to Poppell Produce Inc., consented to a finding that she was responsibly connected to Poppell Produce Inc. when it violated the PACA. As a result, Cathy G. Poppell may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee until May 23, 2018, and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond. In addition, Ms. Poppell cannot be licensed in the produce industry until May 23, 2019, and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
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 two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
YAKIMA, WA - The orchards in Yakima are looking beautiful as ever in this new orchard update from Domex Superfresh Growers®’ Chief Horticulturist Dave Gleason. With cherry season having started just a few weeks ago and apple harvest a few months out, Dave had plenty to discuss
“There’s many unique things about Washington State,” Dave gleefully explains in Superfresh’s video. “One of them is that we have very diverse growing areas. We have low elevation districts with a lot of heat units and warm areas that heat up fast in the spring and stay warmer in the summer months, and then we have later districts that are higher elevation and cooler temperatures.”
Thanks to these different districts, Superfresh is able to extend its harvest all the way through summer. According to a press release, quality from the orchards is currently looking fabulous, with each cherry looking sweet, juicy, firm, and delicious. Over the next few weeks, the company expects the fruit to grow in size, and the color will deepen to the dark red that Superfresh Growers is known for.
While apple harvest is still a few months out, Superfresh assured that the orchard team is already busily preparing the crop load, checking apple by apple to see if adjustments for the crop are needed to achieve the best size and color at harvest time.
As Dave says himself, “The sun is shining, skies are blue, and it reminds us everything we love about growing in Washington State.”
To see the Dave’s full Washington orchard update, check out the video above.
WATSONVILLE, CA – There are a lot of factors that go into remaining a successful berry brand in the U.S. and throughout the globe. For Driscoll’s, one important part, amongst many, is the use of technology. Not only to boost its own operations, but to uplift the industry as a whole.
As Driscoll’s retains its drive as a leader in the industry, President of Driscoll’s of the America’s Soren Bjorn joined me to discuss why farming innovations and technology are at the forefront of the company’s future strategies.
“Technology has always been a key part of the Driscoll’s vision, but there are issues that are becoming more pressing past just those that are most common, like breeding aspects,” Soren shares. “There are other parts of the business that we can improve. Especially as labor availability becomes limited around the globe, we can look to technology to really answer that demand.”
Rather than replace its human counterparts, Soren assures me, robotics are able to add the workable means of human hands in areas where they are not available, in addition to making this work more attractive to a wider workforce. By rounding out gaps in the labor force, robotics are able to make work easier than it is today for companies, their employees, and the industry at large.
“What uplifts the industry, uplifts us,” Soren continues. “One way we can stay super efficient in our supply chain is tracking cold chain shipments. As costs and wages rise, we’ve started using technology in the Middle East to ensure loads are saved as temperatures change in transit, rather than losing an entire shipment. Efficiency is just as helpful to the customer as it the end consumer.”
Driscoll’s implements its own forward-thinking tech in a variety of applications. At its Santa Maria facility, the company uses a mechanical strawberry planter while its current crops are harvested times in order to place next year’s crop in the ground. In the Agrobot, the company is able to harvest more strawberries from its same amount of acreage, gaining more product by complementing its traditional harvesting methods with technology. Driscoll’s is also looking towards a new industry interest in trimming nursery plants by mechanical means.
So, where is Driscoll’s and its focus on tech headed from here? Soren says that the company keeps a close eye on new tech it can implement from Europe and Australia, as well as how technology can help throughout the rest of the company.
“We have dedicated people on our team who travel the world, and see how new and innovative means can help Driscoll’s and the agriculture community in general,” Soren finishes. “There are other parts to improving a business, and we see technology as a huge tool for answering rising demands.”
As Driscoll’s keeps an eye on tech to bring to its own company in addition to spreading it round the world, continue to count on AndNowUKnow for the latest in innovative methods.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Amidst the energized announcements currently captivating the buy-side sector, SuperValu has its own changes in the works following an announcement from one of its executives. Bruce Besanko, who serves as the company’s current Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, will depart the company as of July 5, 2017.
Besanko informed the company’s Board of Directors of his intention to resign his positions with SuperValu, according to a press release. SuperValu stated that Besanko is pursuing an opportunity outside of the company. The StarTribune reported that Besanko oversaw SuperValu’s five banners, which includes Cub Foods.
As Besanko exits his roles, the company has announced that current Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, Rob Woseth, will now assume the role of Interim Chief Financial Officer. David Johnson will assume the role of Interim Vice Chief Accounting Officer in addition to his role as Vice President, Controller, as the company searches for a permanent Chief Financial Officer.
“On behalf of SuperValu, I want to thank Bruce for his service over the past four years. Bruce made numerous contributions to this organization, including improvements to the Company’s capital structure that have laid the groundwork for our transformation. We wish Bruce well in his future endeavors,” said Mark Gross, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Rob and David are important leaders at the Company, and I am very pleased that they will assume these interim roles.”
This news comes on the heels of the company’s acquisition of Unified Grocers. SuperValu announced last week that it had completed the acquisition, valued at $390 million. This specific move was “a significant step forward for SuperValu and the growth of our wholesale business,” according to Gross.
What’s next for SuperValu and who will be tapped to lead the company’s banners in a competitive sector? AndNowUKnow will report.
HOOD RIVER, OR - Not your average fruit, Hood River Cherry Company’s cherries are exceptionally different. Dark, large in size, crunchy, and sweet, one bite of the firm flesh of a Hood River Cherry Company cherry makes a loyal customer for life.
Grown on the base of Mount Hood, this mystical region provides the perfect cool temperatures, high elevation, and fresh mountain water that cherries crave. Nestled in the mountain’s protective foothills with cool nights and chilled irrigation produces a longer growing season, enabling Hood River Cherry Company cherries to soak up more nutrients and sweetness making them unlike any other cherry on the market.
Tree ripened to 21 brix, a Hood River Cherry Company cherry’s sweetness is no coincidence. Tenderly growing, handpicking, and packing its cherries with care for decades, Hood River Cherry Company’s family-run team knows the precise care it takes to pick each cherry at the peak of ripe perfection and safely deliver them to loyal customers around the world.
Working hard day and night to pick their cherries at the pinnacle of ripeness, Hood River Cherry Company tests the sugar level of its beloved stonefruit daily, affirming its sweetness, firmness, and overall taste is at peak perfection before finally being handpicked and overnighted to customers, retail outlets, and distributors worldwide.
Make your produce department a destination and mesmerize consumers with the sweetest, largest, crispest cherries on the market from Hood River Cherry Company; flavor unlike anyone else.
BENTONVILLE, AR – As all eyes remain on the proposed Whole Foods buyout, the industry has remained abuzz with rumors of potential suitors looking to unseat Amazon with their bid. Walmart, one of the most high profile companies involved, is reportedly squashing the hopes of those leaning towards a Walmart/Whole Foods buyout. The retailer has reportedly denied the claims, according to Reuters.
Sources close to the matter disclosed to Reuters that Walmart is not actively considering bidding on Whole Foods. Another source asserted that Whole Foods has also not received any rival bids as of Friday. Both sources declined to unveil themselves, citing the confidentiality of the matter. Walmart was marked as a possible suitor based on its recent string of acquisitions.
Shockwaves were sent through our industry, and most others, as the news broke that Amazon had made a $13.7 billion offer on Whole Foods. Whole Foods accepted the bid.
Since the deal was announced, Whole Foods shares have been trading above Amazon’s offer price, sparking speculation by stock market analysts that a possibility of a higher bid may be in the works. Reuters noted that Whole Foods shares reached a high of $43.84 on Friday, and were last trading after hours at $42.85.
As of this time, Whole Foods, Amazon, and Walmart had not yet responded to Reuters for comment. CNBC noted that speculators have assessed if Whole Foods did receive another counter, Amazon would have responded with a sweeter bid.
Is another bidder still in the works as Amazon pursues its Whole Foods purchase? AndNowUKnow will have all the latest.