LEAMINGTON, ON - As convenience continues to trend for consumers across the board, I got a chance to chat with team members at AMCO Produce about the company’s newest offering to the on-the-go market: the Garden Pack.
“It’s a really customizable pack,” Sales Manager Mitch Amicone explained, sharing that the grab-and-go style offering pairs mini peppers, grape tomatoes, and mini cucumbers. For example, he said, “You can interchange the grape tomatoes for medley tomatoes or cocktail tomatoes.”
With all three categories packaged in separate, clear, top-seal compartments, the Garden Pack comes in two sizes depending on its destination. Offering both retail and club sizes, Mitch shared that the offering is very versatile.
The new, innovative packaging provides heat-seal containers, and can be offered by the Leamington, Ontario-based grower year-round thanks to its high-pressure sodium lights.
To hear all Mitch had to say about this latest offering in produce convenience, watch our entire interview in the short video above.
GREENSBORO, NC – The shifts to the buy-side sector just keep coming, with The Fresh Market as the latest company to announce a change to its leadership. The chain’s current CEO and Board Member Rick Anicetti has announced his resignation. Effective immediately, current CFO Brian Nicholson will serve as interim CEO in his stead.
Anicetti’s career spanned more than 30 years at Hannaford and Food Lion before joining The Fresh Market in 2015. At Food Lion, Anicetti served for eight years as President and CEO.
“The company appreciates Mr. Anicetti’s significant contributions and service and wishes him luck in his future endeavors,” said The Fresh Market in its public announcement to the press.
Anicetti has been a member of the Board of Directors at Number Holdings, Inc., the parent company of 99 Cents Only Stores LLC, where he also had experience as its interim CEO. Anicetti also held a Board position at Smart & Final.
Holding the position of CEO until a permanent decision is made, Nicholson has held his role of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since returning to The Fresh Market in 2016. From 2004 to 2012, he held a variety of positions for the company, including serving as Vice President in the business strategy, financial planning, and analysis function from 2005 to 2012.
“The Fresh Market’s Board of Directors has great confidence in Mr. Nicholson as the right person to guide the Company in this interim period as it continues to focus on delivering excellent service and delicious, fresh food,” the retailer added in its remarks.
The Fresh Market also announced in tandem with Nicholson that its current Senior Leadership Team will continue to execute the company’s strategic plan and adapt as needed to the evolving marketplace even in Anicetti’s absence.
Where will The Fresh Market head next with new leadership announcements on the way? AndNowUKnow will report.
SANTA MARIA, CA – There’s a new face joining the innovative team at Gold Coast Packing, Inc. As the company looks to boost its growth, Kevin Fix has been added to the fold as its new VP of Sales and Marketing.
“I am very excited to join the Gold Coast Packing family and be part of a company known for high quality, fresh produce. As a team, we will work to expand our business into retail and capitalize on the innovative, value-added products we've developed for our foodservice partners,” Kevin said.
Kevin brings more than a decade of industry experience to his new role in selling product to retail, wholesale, and foodservice companies. According to a press release, Kevin served most recently as VP of Sales for Bolthouse Farms.
“We are thrilled to have Kevin join Gold Coast. His knowledge and experience will help lead our team as we continue to grow our company,” said John Schaefer, General Manager.
Kevin also possesses a background in distribution, consolidation, and logistics. The company stated that he is well-versed in customer service with a team collaboration mindset. Kevin will provide expertise and experience to each of Gold Coast departments in his new role.
Kevin is just the latest addition to Gold Coast Packing, which has been servicing its customers with high-quality products for nearly 40 years. The company is always furthering its mission to produce fresh, safe, nutritious, and innovative value-added products while promoting growth and prosperity for its customers, employees, and company.
Congratulations to Kevin and the Gold Coast team on this appointment, we look forward to seeing where you head next!
SALINAS, CA – Taylor Farms takes giving back to its employees seriously. On June 16th Taylor Farms held its annual Scholarship Luncheon on where the company awarded $170,000 in college scholarships to 12 first time scholarship recipients and 22 renewal scholarships.
“An excellent education is the foundation of a free and fair society in America,” said Bruce Taylor, Chairman and CEO upon the announcment of this year's annual scholarship recipients. “At Taylor Farms we are proud to support children of our valued team members with $20,000 scholarships to pursue their college dreams.”
All of the recipients are children of active, full-time Taylor Farms employees and received a $20,000 academic scholarship to support their journey in achieving a higher education. Recipients received an upfront check for $5,000 with a guaranteed renewal of $5,000 for each year they remain in an undergraduate or graduate program at a university.
The Taylor Farms Scholarship Program, formally developed in 2012, has been awarding scholarships to students since 2008. The selection committee consists of 12 Taylor Farms’ employees, and has awarded $710,000 in scholarships over the past 11 years.
"Taylor Farms values higher education and decided to invest in mine. Taylor Farms is committed to seeing me through to the end and because a significant amount of financial burden has been lifted, I can focus on maximizing my education," said Adela Contreras, 2016 TF Scholarship Recipient and UC Davis Undergraduate student.
2017 recipients include:
- Betzibeth Valencia – Arizona State University
- Brandy Martinez – University of Arizona
- Crystal Hernandez Marquez - California State University, Monterey Bay
- Crystal Osuna Cecilio – California State University, Monterey Bay
- Daisy Solorzano - University of California, Davis
- Diana Cervantes – Morales – California State University, Monterey Bay
- Ismael Lopez – San Jose State University
- Leticia Isabel Cardenas – San Diego State University
- Maria Fernanda Garcia – University of Arizona
- Paulina Suguey Hernandez – University of California, Davis
- Viridiana Macias Contreras – Humboldt State University
- Zeltzin Donaji Gonzalez Lopez – San Francisco State University
These students were recognized and rewarded at a Taylor Farms hosted luncheon on Friday at the company’s retail salad plant patio in Salinas, CA. Mark Campion, President, Taylor Farms Retail and Rigo Ramirez, Director of Operations, Taylor Farms Retail, presented each of the new scholarship recipients with their checks in front of a crowd of over 75 individuals, including family and friends of the recipients along with Taylor Farms employees who were also present to support and celebrate with the recipients.
Bruce Taylor, CEO, Taylor Farms, was also in attendance and concluded the event with a heartfelt speech to the audience, where he thanked the parents for believing in and supporting their children’s educational pursuits.
LEAMINGTON, ON – If there is one word that automatically comes to mind when I think of the greenhouse fruit and vegetable arena, it is “competitive.” This past weekend, Ontario kicked off its 10th annual Greenhouse Competitions at the Leamington Fair, with a host of industry innovators taking their place at the head of the table.
With quality and flavor always at the forefront of its fresh produce program, Double Diamond Farms showcased its lineup of popular products as the company vied for the competition’s top spots. As the two-day event wrapped up Saturday night, the company was awarded a Kid’s Choice Award for the company’s Orange Sweet Peppers as well as Best Hothouse Cucumber for its Long English.
“Our mission is to continue to deliver premium, flavorful, hydroponically-grown produce to the North American market with the quality and consistency that our customers have come to expect from an innovative greenhouse company and partner,” President and CEO, Chris Mastronardi, shares with me. “From leading-edge growing practices to pioneering technologies and variety development, Double Diamond is helping to raise the bar on fresh produce within the retail community. We are proud to accept these awards that recognize the strides that Double Diamond is making to evolve the category and bring great taste to the produce department.”
In 2016, Double Diamond took home the Kids' Choice Tomato Award for the company’s exclusive Bramato Brown Tomatoes as well as a 2nd place award for Best Cocktail with its popular Zebrino tomato. Double Diamond was also recognized with a 3rd place award for the company’s Cocktail Cukes.
“We are so grateful to be recognized locally and honored to have received a Kid’s Choice award again this year,” Caitlyne Johns, Director of Marketing, shares. “We have enjoyed the Greenhouse Competition and see this as a testament to our hard work and vision. Our team is thrilled that it is in support of such an amazing cause.”
Funds raised from the Greenhouse Competitions go to R.E.A.CH International which helps to build schools and clinics, drill water wells, and sponsor and care for impoverished children in Uganda, Africa. Their unique program guarantees that 100% of child-sponsorship dollars goes to help the children.
Congratulations to the Double Diamond team on their constant evolution and contributions to our amazing industry!
STILLWATER, MN – SuperValu is looking to bring more fresh produce to consumers who step into its CUB® banner. The company has announced that three of its CUB locations have newly reopened after receiving an updated layout.
To launch the new remodels, CUB hosted three grand reopening celebrations. The updated locations were in the banner’s Champlin, Brooklyn Park North, and Brooklyn Park South stores in Minneapolis.
According to a press release, the locations now host the following upgrades:
- Expanded produce departments featuring an increased assortment of organic items and a wider selection of fresh fruits and vegetables pre-cut in the store.
- Expanded deli areas that will include more grab-and-go offerings, including sandwiches, salads and sushi; a wider selection of hot meal solutions; and a new soup and salad bar with more variety. Customers also will find an expanded variety of fresh meats and specialty cheeses in the deli area.
- New display cases, décor, lighting, and updated signage throughout the interior of the store.
- New signage and updated facades to the exterior of the stores.
- Additional self-serve checkout lanes.
- The addition of Kitchen Shoppes at both Brooklyn Park store locations where customers can find a variety of everyday kitchen cookware, utensils and supplies.
- A new Candy Shoppe, a dedicated area that feels like a boutique candy shop within the store, at the Brooklyn Park South location.
- A 2,000-square-foot addition to the Wine & Spirits store at the Brooklyn Park South CUB.
- Expanded customer seating at the Champlin store.
Altogether, the company noted, the stores have around 210,000-square-feet of retail space. To further boost its remodels, the company also stated that its consumers will be able to take advantage of special deals and promotions throughout the coming weeks, in addition to having the chance to win a $1,000 CUB gift card at each location.
Engaging with its community, CUB brought Minnesota Twins outfielder Robbie Grossman to its Champlin store this past Friday, with Minnesota Twins pitcher Hector Santiago meeting and greeting customers at its Brooklyn Park North location.
As CUB ramps up its focus on the new remodels, the chain is urging consumers to look for demos and other activities at the locations, taking place from now until the end of the month.
Will CUB bring this new fresh format to its other locations? AndNowUKnow will be sure to report.
CHICAGO, IL - Once again, the Windy City blew me away! Returning for my third United Fresh Conference, my trend-hungry palate was not disappointed. Here are some of the standouts 2017 had to offer.
Ready Pac Foods Fresh Prep’d™ Soup Kits
No longer does fresh soup mean that it has to come straight out of the ladle. Consumers looking to have Mama's soup and eat it too can do so with this tasty launch, and the packaged bowl covered in vibrant colors is sure to stand out among the green of the produce aisle.
Pete's Living Greens Living Strips
I'm not sure what shoppers will love more, the lasting freshness of the attached roots without risking dirt on kitchen counters or the decoration value this could serve as an edible, yet attractive, house plant! Suffice it to say, this product serves itself in freshness and finery.
Crunch Pak Apple Rings
Who didn't have fun with food you could wear as jewelry growing up? Apple slices may have to step aside on this one. I can see children having a lot of fun with these rings on their fingers, their wrists, and anywhere else the little tikes might like to hang them before getting their apple a day. It’s no wonder that this won an Innovation Award for Best New Fruit Product.
Sonatural Juices’ One Week Green Shots
Someone finally did it: Shots of produce! I can't think of anything more convenient in the morning, and can easily imagine this riding the coattails of the current juicing trend grabbing consumers.
Double Diamond Farms Baby Eggplant
In the sea of earthy colors that decorate the produce industry, aisles, and plates, eggplant has always been a beautiful stand out. Prior to my being in the industry, I thought this beautiful vegetable more often looked too lovely to be grown. This is a feeling I forgot about until coming across Double Diamond’s carefully packaged Baby Eggplants, with a fun scrawl-style text across the sheer cover that allows that beautiful purple and pearly white to shine through to consumers. These royal babies certainly are princes and princesses of the category.
And while that may be all she wrote for now, that is not all we have! Stay tuned for Jessica's Picks and further insights from the show as we see what's to come for our industry until the next United Fresh.
Crunch Pak Double Diamond Farms Pete's Living Greens Ready Pac Foods SoNatural Juice
CITRUSDAL, SOUTH AFRICA - There’s something about summer that makes me crave citrus of all kinds. Sweet, refreshing, and bursting with flavor, the more I learn about South African citrus, the more it makes its way into my heart. With the category fresh in my brain, I spoke with Summer Citrus From South Africa’s CEO Suhanra Conradie about how her company is helping to be the perfect complement to the U.S. crop.
“It’s a big process to import into the U.S., so we have a model of collaboration that’s really worked well for us,” Suhanra tells me as we discuss the value that Summer Citrus From South Africa can bring to stateside retailers. “We are very excited about the 2017 season.”
For 2017, like season’s past, Summer Citrus From South Africa represents a group of the country’s citrus growers, and helps consolidate their logistics, marketing, and sales efforts in an effort to bring the finest citrus fruit to market during the U.S. summer season. With that collaborative approach to building relationships, Suhanra’s goal is to ensure the development, expansion, and success of the South African citrus producers’ position in the U.S. market.
As demand for the category continues to increase, Summer Citrus from South Africa is ramping up its business opportunities with retailers across the United States. Want to learn more on how the company is filling in the summer citrus niche? Watch my full interview with Suhanra above.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – With a potentially-dangerous storm system fast approaching the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, a tropical storm warning and a flash flood watch have been issued for portions of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Wet weather is expected up and down the gulf coast, from southeast Texas to the Florida Panhandle. Should the storm continue to develop, it could be named Subtropical or Tropical Storm Cindy.
According to local ABC News affiliate WDSU, rain and flooding is expected to occur through Thursday, and the storm has the potential to bring four to eight inches of rainfall to the region—and more than 12 inches to isolated areas—in the span of mere days. Gusty winds, rip currents, and even isolated tornadoes are also expected to occur throughout the region, as well.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued tropical storm warnings and a flash flood watch for parts of south Texas, all of southeast Louisiana, and coastal Mississippi, noting the potential for flooding and damage from torrential rain and winds. The NHC has also noted the strong possibility of a tropical cyclone developing in the next five days, as the storm proceeds inland throughout the week.
The storm warning is currently in effect from High Island, Texas, to the mouth of the Pearl River, according to a report from The Weather Channel.
The storm system is currently moving northwest toward the coast at 10 mph. AndNowUKnow will continue to report on weather conditions that may affect important growing and transportation regions in our industry.
LEAMINGTON, ON – The best greenhouse vegetables from North America’s most prodigious growers were on display last weekend at the annual Greenhouse Vegetable Awards Competition. TopLine Farms was on hand to take home two of the ceremony’s coveted awards.
“Receiving these awards is more than just about showcasing all that we grow; it is about our commitment to growing the most flavorful varieties in today’s marketplace,” said Jimmy Coppola, Marketing Manager, in a company press release.
The company took home top honors in the following categories:
- Best Cocktail Cucumber
- Best Overall Cucumber
“To win the ‘Best Cocktail Cucumber’ two years in a row confirms the notion that consumers want flavor, and TopLine Farms’ Cocktail Cucumbers are just that, flavorful snacking cucumbers that you can enjoy daily,” added Jimmy.
The company noted that it considers participating in the competition each year to be a privilege—and said that the event is both a great way to showcase TopLine’s outstanding greenhouse-grown offerings to the public and an equally-great way to give back by raising money and awareness for REACH International (Relief Education and Child Sponsorship), an organization that provides education, food, medicine, and other assistance to disadvantaged and orphaned children across the globe.
Congratulations to the TopLine team! Check in with us at AndNowUKnow for more news on the produce industry.