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JACKSONVILLE, FL – Southeastern Grocers’ newest banner is on the rise. Fresco y Más has announced that it has unveiled seven new stores to the chain, which will bring its total number to 18. This news comes mere months after the Hispanic-focused chain’s most recent expansion.
Southeastern Grocers has chosen to add the stores to the South Florida market, including its first location in Broward County. According to a press release, the announcement was made in celebration of the banner’s first birthday. Additionally, the chain partnered with The League Against Cancer to provide medical care for cancer patients in the chain’s community.
“Since opening our doors in Hialeah one year ago, Fresco y Más has seen fantastic success and support from customers in each community we now operate in. The League Against Cancer is an organization our customers have told us is important to them, so we kicking off our first official community partnership by hosting a Profit Day at all 18 of our Fresco y Más stores, donating every last cent of profit to The League Against Cancer,” said Ian McLeod, President and CEO of Southeastern Grocers. "As Fresco y Más enters its second year we continue to be dedicated to providing our customers with an authentic Hispanic shopping experience and supporting organizations that provide invaluable services to the communities we operate in.”
The new stores will feature further enhancements, as the banner builds on its strategy. This includes a refreshed produce department in a farmer’s market setting with a wider selection of tropical fruits. These locations will also offer a Cocina kitchen with ready-to-eat foods, a café with authentic Hispanic food, a Wall of Value section, a new Dollar Zone, and more.
The new stores can be found at the following locations in South Florida:
- 8855 Coral Way, Miami, FL 33165
- 14655 SW 104th St., Miami, FL 33186
- 9565 W Flagler St., Miami, FL 33174
- 7480 SW 117th Ave., Miami, FL 33183
- 12254 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33184
- 2750 W 68th St., Hialeah, FL 33016
- 6775 Taft St., Hollywood, FL 33024
The seven new stores officially launched at 10 a.m. on Wednesday with an official ribbon cutting ceremony. To further celebrate its year-milestone and historic partnership with The League Against Cancer, the chain made June 14 Profit Day, where all profits that were generated went to the health organization.
“Our staff, patients, and supports are humbled by the commitment Fresco y Más is making with the first-ever donation of this kind in the organization’s history,” said Adriana Cora, Vice President of The League Against Cancer. “This new partnership will allow us to build on the more than 60,000 men, women, and children who will be able to receive world-class medical treatment, screenings, and support from the League Against Cancer."
As retailers across the board look to tap in on the possibilities present within the Hispanic demographic of consumers, AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the growth of Fresco Y Más and other banners.
SUNNYVALE, CA – Silicon Valley-based Blue River Technology, makers of the LettuceBot weeding-robot, is looking to expand its operations and take its automated farming technology into new aspects of agriculture.
Blue River began in 2011 with a vision of producing tractor-mounted drones designed to decrease the use of herbicides. To do so, the company looked to selectively target and apply chemicals using computer vision and sophisticated machine-learning algorithms. According to online tech and business news source Inc., the company has since earned approximately $30 million in venture capital—including a $17 million Series B bid in late-2015 in which ag tech giants like Syrgenta and Monsanto invested.
"A lot of the opportunities out there are for people to use artificial intelligence to market, to do app placement or spam filters—to do things that are not quite as meaningful," CEO and Co-Founder Jorge Heraud told Inc., noting that improving food production is an important undertaking. "The biggest mega-problem facing agriculture is how do we clean up our act, maintain scalability so that we can feed everybody—and even those who are to come—but do it in a sustainable way."
The company was founded by Herauld and Lee Redden, who met in an entrepreneurship class at Stanford. Working from a garage, the two began to tackle automated weed abatement in the lettuce field, and by October of 2014, they had launched LettuceBot and began servicing customers like notable greens provider Tanimura & Antle.
"We conquered lettuce. We had a good product, and we started having revenue," said Herauld, who noted that the company is now looking to expand outward into new categories and improve herbicide application in a greater share of the industry.
Now that the tech-forward company is looking to broden its reach, will it bring similar solutions to other produce categories? For more on this and other cutting-edge companies in the fresh produce world, continue to follow AndNowUKnow.
LEAMINGTON, ON – As the Tomato Capital of Canada, Leamington, Ontario once again hosted its annual Greenhouse Vegetable Awards over the weekend. At the event, which showcases the best greenhouse vegetables from leading North American growers, family owned NatureFresh™ Farms took home many of the top honors including the coveted ‘Best Overall Tomato’.
“Receiving these awards is more than just about showcasing the best that we grow, it is about our commitment to pushing the category in the right direction in delivering consistent flavor across the category,” commented Peter Quiring, Owner & President, according to a press release. “The TOMZ® Red Cherry Tomato is a game changer; super sweet, bite-sized, crunchy, with the perfect balance of acidity, the real winners are the consumers who can enjoy this premium snacking tomato year-round, it’s hands down our grower’s choice."
NatureFresh™ Farms took top honors in the following categories:
- Best Overall Tomato; TOMZ® Red Cherry Tomato
- Best Bite Sized Tomatoes; TOMZ® Red Cherry Tomato
- Best Cocktail Tomato; TOMZ® Sweet Red Cocktail Tomato
- Best Beefsteak Tomato; OntarioRed™ Red Beefsteak Tomato
- Best Yellow Bell Pepper
This is the second year in a row that NatureFresh™ Farms has won the Best Cocktail Tomato Award, which is a fantastic accomplishment considering strong competition from other varieties in the market place.
“Our retail customers love our TOMZ® Snacking Tomato program because of the unique and flavorful varieties we grow,” said Matt Quiring, Executive Retail Accounts Manager. “It’s not just about selecting the right seed to grow, it is about the growing environment, the plant nutrition, and the grow to market strategy we employ year-round from our farms to ensure we deliver the best we grow, regardless of the season. Our TOMZ® Red Cherry is the best snacking tomato available on the market, hence why it won the Best Overall Tomato Award."
NatureFresh™’s TOMZ® Snacking Tomatoes were a finalist for Best New Vegetable Award at the United Fresh Convention in Chicago recently.
“We trial more than 300+ different varieties each year to ensure we are always delivering the most flavorful varieties available worldwide,” said Benny Teichroeb, Trial Program Coordinator. NatureFresh™ Farms conducts its product research and development in its 2.5 acre Trial Greenhouse & Discovery Center in Leamington.
Congratulations to the NatureFresh team from all of the staff at AndNowUKnow!
SALINAS, CA - It’s not every year that a brand turns 100 years old, and to celebrate one such occasion, Naturipe Farms is inviting consumers to join in on the festivities through the launch of a new social media sweepstakes. Taking place this June through July, the sweepstakes was designed to raise awareness of Naturipe’s rich company history and grower heritage, while encouraging families to incorporate fresh Naturipe berries and avocados in their meals and outdoor activities this summer.
“Reaching our 100 year anniversary is an incredible milestone, and we are excited to have consumers join in on the celebration with us,” said Kyla Oberman, Director of Marketing. “We look forward to seeing how consumers include Naturipe berries and avocados in their families’ summer picnics and other outdoor activities, and are thrilled at the opportunity to host a special picnic for the winner at one of our growers’ farms.”
The sweepstakes offers a grand prize of a fieldside picnic for two, at the winner’s choice of several Naturipe USA farms around the country. As a second place prize, Naturipe is offering 100 winners a copy of the popular award-winning cookbook, “The Picnic,” which features several picnic-ready berry and avocado recipes. The total prize for this promotion is about $5,000.
The sweepstakes will be promoted in partnership with food bloggers, as well as with the authors and publisher (Artisan Books) of “The Picnic.”
To enter, consumers are invited to share photos and videos on the website or social media, depicting how they enjoy Naturipe-grown berries and avocados outdoors this summer, using the hashtag #100YearsOfNaturipe. The deadline for entry is Friday, July 21, 2017.
As fresh produce companies continue to innovate through marketing campaigns, AndNowUKnow will report.
SANTA ROSA, CA - The produce aisle has become a place of wonder in recent years, showcasing the best of fresh, healthy, and flavor-driven items. From value-added to fresh produce bins and wet racks meticulously designed to draw the consumer in, this department is the place for me. And wildbrine®, a destination.
The moment I got my hands on the savory and smoky new products from wildbrine, I was hooked. But let’s be honest, I was drawn to the entire wildbrine family of fermented flavors long before these latest additions to the fresh produce and specialty foods arenas began to grace the retail space. The company packs a flavor punch with health benefits to boot as the kraut connoisseurs keep enticing the consumer palate with familiar and foreign taste combinations.
New to the fold this summer, the company has launched its new Beet Dill and Smoky Kale Probiotic Live Shots as well as wildbrine’s Probiotic Smoky Jalapeño Sriracha and Probiotic Spicy Kimchi Sriracha.
Co-Owner Chris Glab took a moment to share the latest and greatest from the company with me, as we move into the summer months with a flair for fare.
“We are just rolling out these new additions to our product line now, with an expanding national footprint,” Chris tells me. “These profiles incorporate ingredients, flavors, and cuisines that are experiencing great popularity and growth trends – beets, kale, korean cuisine, smoky flavors, spicy, sriracha, you name it. When combined in a way that takes into account the major trend of probiotics and gut health, we felt we had a win-win for the retail community.”
The wildbrine team comprised of Chris and Co-Founder Rick Goldberg, take great care of their customers, employees, suppliers, and community – continually exploring their wild possibilities and flavor adventures.
“These products, particularly traditional, naturally fermented, raw, probiotic products have seen extremely strong growth,” Chris adds. “As we move through 2017 and into 2018, we are working on a continuation of our line and introducing familiar products in a probiotic, naturally fermented form…like our new Cole Slaw.”
As we look to the family of products as a whole, for kraut alone, the company has introduced Beets & Their Greens, Brussels Kraut, Curry Cauliflower Kraut, Organic Smoky Kale Kraut, Raw Organic Green Kraut, Raw Organic Red Kraut, and Red Beet & Red Cabbage. On the salsa front, the company boasts a Salsa Rojo and a Salsa Verde, and kimchi concoctions that range from Japanese and Korean, to Thai. Consumers looking to drink their fermented delights can find flavors from Citrusy Japanese and Zesty Thai to Spicy Korean.
Culinary creativity is alive and well with the wildbrine team and is further proof that eating healthy can be both flavorful and fun, as well as endlessly exciting.
LOS ALAMITOS, CA – From great-for-grilling baby potatoes, to specialty peppers and fresh Asian flavors, the produce department is proving to be the place for on-trend summer grilling essentials, and Frieda's Specialty Produce has merchandising suggestions to help capitalize on the occasion.
McCormick & Co.’s Flavor Forecast 2017 “Five Hot Ideas for Summer” predicts big things for produce this season, with the gamut of flavors coming to the fore—from grilled potatoes, to Korean barbecue flavors, and fruity, sticky sweet, and spicy glazes.
“These grilling trends resonate with shoppers seeking new food experiences for summer grilling, and they can go to the produce department for it,” said Alex Jackson Berkley, Senior Account Manager, Frieda’s Specialty Produce. “Merchandise specialty produce alongside conventional ones to inspire shoppers. Retailers can get creative with in-store displays and signage, suggesting new ways to use produce for summer grilling.”
Frieda’s has made some merchandising suggestions to complement the summer’s grilling trends:
Bring on the Heat
Complete your pepper display with a wide range of heat levels—from mild mini sweet peppers to grilling favorites like poblano and serrano, all the way to the super-hots like ghost, Trinidad Scorpion, and Carolina Reaper.
Grilling Potatoes
Display fingerling and assorted baby potatoes like Frieda’s Star Spangled Spuds with russets and Okinawan sweet potatoes with orange sweet potatoes.
Korean Barbecue Flavor Center
Add daikon, Napa cabbage, and Shanghai bok choy to your Asian vegetable display, and make sure to have kimchi in the refrigerated case.
Frieda’s further suggested adding grilling favorites to your summer menu, including classics like: shishito peppers, jicama, radish varieties, baby pineapples, summer squashes, mini graffiti eggplants, baby Japanese eggplants, and pearl, boiler, and cipolline onions.
AndKnowUKnow will continue to report with more on on-trend produce offering in retail and foodservice this season and beyond.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - Get ready for a whole lot of delicious apples with a brand new look and feel, as June continues to bring New Zealand and Chilean apples to North American produce departments.
This year, Oppy and partner T&G Global have launched a complete brand refresh for their increasingly popular JAZZ™ Brand of apples. I spoke with T&G Global’s Marketing Manager for Pipfruit, Sandi Boyden, who was happy to fill me in on all the industry can expect with this new marketing undertaking.
"JAZZ Apples is undertaking a big refresh. After 16 years, this apple has become an absolute global favorite" Sandi tells me as we talk about the exciting new move. "What consumers and customers will see is a whole new design–a whole new look and feel–across our PLU stickers, right the way through our packaging, on our point of sale material, and also across our digital platform and social."
Earlier this year, Oppy and T&G Global entered into a new phase in their longstanding relationship, telling ANUK in March that the two have an eye on optimizing exports and supply chain synergies beyond their portfolio of JAZZ, Pacific Rose, and Envy apples.
With this new refresh underway, what else can we expect from the duo going forward? Watch my full interview with Sandi above for more details, and stay tuned for more big news to come.
AVONDALE, PA - An investment into growing ag work resources has developed into a bolstered marketing team for To-Jo Mushrooms. The company has welcomed new Marketing Coordinator, Adriana Palombit, to the team.
Adriana returns to To-Jo after having worked an internship for the company during her senior fall semester at St. Joseph’s University.
“Adriana’s creativity will be a great asset for To-Jo and our customers. We are developing new products on both sides of our business and Adriana is going to have the opportunity to make an immediate impact,” said VP of Sales and Marketing Kevin Delaney in a press release.
In addition to her work with the family-owned and operated grower/shipper of both fresh and prepared mushrooms, the new Marketing Coordinator worked with Wawa and J&J Snack Foods as a co-op student during her time at St. Joseph's University.
Congratulations Adriana on this newest step in your produce career!
AUSTIN, TX - The reported sale of Whole Foods is here, with the winning bidder none other than online retail giant, Amazon. Amazon will officially acquire the Whole Foods chain in a deal that’s valued at $13.7 billion.
"This partnership presents an opportunity to maximize value for Whole Foods Market's shareholders, while at the same time extending our mission and bringing the highest quality, experience, convenience, and innovation to our customers," John Mackey, Whole Foods' CEO, said in a press release.
Mackey will remain CEO of the company, with CNBC reporting that the chain will continue to operate as the Whole Foods brand with its headquarters in Texas. For Amazon, this deal will allow the retailer known primarily for its e-commerce offerings to continue its ongoing exploration into brick and mortar retail, as well as its persistent focus on grocery.
“Millions of people love Whole Foods Market because they offer the best natural and organic foods, and they make it fun to eat healthy,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO, in a release. “Whole Foods Market has been satisfying, delighting and nourishing customers for nearly four decades–they’re doing an amazing job and we want that to continue.”
Whole Foods will be bought for $42 a share, which is a 27% premium to Whole Foods’ closing price yesterday. According to CNBC, Investors have already begun speculating that with shares trading around the offer price, this could mean that another suitor will still try and make a play for the chain, CNBC stated.
As for Whole Foods shares, the company initially shot up 28% after the news break of the new Amazon acquisition with Amazon itself rising 3%. As of 10:45 a.m., June 16, 2017, Amazon's stock was at $997.17 per share, with a price to earning ratio of 186.96.
Altogether, this morning, Amazon's market capitalization increased over $15 billion, meaning the combined increase in value of the company's stock will more than offset the cost of the acquisition, while brick and mortar competitors hemoraged value.
Bob Pisani from CNBC stated that with Amazon's jump in 30 points from the announcement, the gains from that alone will cover the $13.7 billion it will pay for Whole Foods, which essentially will allow Amazon to buy the chain for free.
Since the announcement, there has been speculation that the deal will cause margin erosion as is evident by the plummet in food stocks on Wall Street. There is also talk of whether Amazon will be able to take Whole Foods’ private label, 365, to a broader market.
This move comes as the latest in a large swathe of Whole Foods-centered news. Earlier this year, activist investor Jana Partners LLC grabbed a large stake in the company, further fueling rumors that Whole Foods was fast-approaching a sale. After a back and forth with Whole Foods and then Jana over the Board of Directors leadership, it seems a suitor may finally be at hand.
The $13.7 billion dollar deal is expected to close in the second half year.