WENATCHEE, WA – On the heels of last years successful launch, Stemilt’s signature bi-colored cherry brand, Skylar Rae®, will make its way back to produce aisles with higher volumes and the incredible firmness and sweetness it has gained notoriety for.
“It’s rare to have a blush cherry possess both off-the-charts firmness and sweetness,” said Stemilt Marketing Director Roger Pepperl. “That combination makes for an entirely new and unique dessert eating experience. Skylar Rae cherries crunch when you bite into them and then you experience a rush of sugars and juice.”
Harvest will begin the third week of June with peak volumes available for shipping in early July. Skylar Rae cherries have a limited season and will wrap up the third week of July, according to a company press release.
“There is a limited window of time to make noise about the super-sweet Skylar Rae cherry,” said Pepperl. “However, with increased volumes, this is the year to begin introducing shoppers to the third SKU in the cherry category. In-store promotions, signage, and sampling must all be part of the plan to share this special cherry and capture sales this summer.”
The company dubs it “the sweetest cherry you’ll ever eat” thanks to the incredibly high Brix (sugar) levels ranging from 23-25 on average, Skylar Rae brand cherries are the third SKU in the cherry category and a great niche item to help retailers boost department sales in June and July. With unique DNA and unknown parentage, Skylar Rae has two abnormal traits: it’s both the sweetest and firmest cherry that Stemilt grows.
As the exclusive marketer of Skylar Rae brand cherries in North America, Stemilt has planted the variety extensively in its cherry orchards across central Washington. This year, volumes will increase significantly with new acreage coming into bearing age.
Stemilt packs Skylar Rae cherries in 1.25 lb pouch bags and a unique, dome-style 1lb clamshell. Both pack types help distinguish Skylar Rae as “the sweetest cherry you’ll ever eat” in order to share the special qualities of the cherry directly with shoppers. Stemilt also has stand-up displays that are ideal to put at checkout lanes to further drive impulse sales of Skylar Rae.
Following last year’s record early start to cherry season in Washington, the state will experience a later-than-normal crop this year, making July the key time to promote Skylar Rae cherries. Moderate temperatures this spring have helped set a high-quality crop of cherries, and Stemilt expects flavor, firmness, and the beautiful orange-red blush of Skylar Rae to really stand out.
“Skylar Rae is poised to have its sweetest season yet,” said Pepperl. “We are excited to continue introducing shoppers to this special cherry. It’s a niche item that retailers will find success with because of its standout flavor and firmness.”
The cherry, first discovered growing by chance in a Wenatchee, WA orchard in 2004, is known by its cultivar name: Tip Top. The best Tip Top cherries make it to market under the brand name, Skylar Rae, and last year, became the first cherry in years to be given its own product price look-up (PLU) number by the International Federation for Produce Standards.
For more information about Skylar Rae cherries, visit www.SkylarRaeCherries.com.
MCLEAN, VA - Further strengthening its stake in organics, and breaking into the North Carolina market for the first time, Gladstone Land Corporation announced that it has acquired two contiguous farms totaling 310 organic acres in North Carolina for approximately $2.2 million, according to a press release.
"We are extremely pleased to make our first acquisition in the Carolinas, one of the premier growing regions in the eastern U.S. for fruits and vegetables," said Bill Frisbie, the Company's Managing Director for the Eastern U.S. "We hope to partner with many of the other great farmers in the Carolinas to acquire more farms growing blueberries, sweet potatoes, and many other crop types."
Upon acquisition, Gladstone Land entered into a 10-year lease agreement with Southern Belle Organics LLC, a leading organic farming operation for berries and vegetables and the current tenant on each of the farms.
"Southern Belle is excited to partner with Gladstone as we grow our organic berry and vegetable business," said Bricklyn Rooks, Owner of Southern Belle. "The capital infusion from this sale-leaseback will be invested in the latest harvesting and packing technologies that will enable greater efficiency and higher food safety standards for our operation."
The lease agreement includes an annually-escalating base rent plus a revenue-sharing component based on the crops harvested on the farms.
"We are continuing our strong growth by entering into a new state with our third acquisition of 2017," said David Gladstone, President and CEO of Gladstone Land. "This acquisition increases our organic acreage and further expands the diversification within our portfolio, as we now own farms in eight states across the U.S. We are putting to work the equity we raised a couple of months ago, and with the strong returns expected from these new farms, we believe this acquisition will help us achieve our goal of being able to regularly increase the distributions we pay to our shareholders, as we have over the past few years."
As we previously reported, Gladstone is prioritizing annually-planted fresh produce crops, many of which are organic or in the process of converting.
As the company continues to sweep through the fresh produce landscape, AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
KINGSVILLE, ON - This year SUNSET® has raised over $20,000 for the MS Society of Canada. Now in its 13th year of supporting the worthy cause, the company has reached the milestone of over $200,000 in lifetime donations.
“I’m very proud of all our employees who participate and come together for the community,” shared President Paul Mastronardi. “This is a great cause and I’d like to thank everyone at SUNSET® who takes part each year.”
According to a press release, SUNSET is the host of several internal fundraisers, and also participates in the annual MS Walk in Leamington, Ontario. 100% of the proceeds from the event go towards the charity, which supports Canadians living with MS and funds research for a cure.
“We’ve been supporting MS for many years, and each year it seems to get better and better,” said Maria Rubino, the company’s MS team leader. “Employees at SUNSET® always rally together for the community and I’m so proud to be a part of this cause.”
To learn more about SUNSET® and its great work in and out of the produce industry, visit the company at sunsetgrown.com.
BENTONVILLE, AR - For a long time, we have been committed to understanding the evolving platforms of virtual and augmented reality, and how it can be an asset for growers and buyers across the industry.
So naturally it caught our eye when TechCrunch reported that Walmart is rolling out training simulations for its employees across the enterprise, in an innovative approach to immersive education.
Beginning with a pilot at 30 training centers, the company reported that the results from the training were "promising" and has plans to bring the innovative approach to all of its 200 training facilities by 2017. In addition to hands-on situational crash courses, for holidays like Black Friday, the Wall Street Journal reports that the retailer is finding other applications for training. For example, trainees can scan produce sections to spot issues such as missing prices on products, or simulate deli counter customer encounters.
At AndNowUKnow, as a vertically integrated media company, we’ve been having the conversation about virtual reality since Facebook’s acquisition of the Oculus Rift started to make the application viable at the business level.
As Walmart—and industries from neuromedicine to sports to construction—are demonstrating, this once-intangible technology now has practical applications as an educational business tool, bringing the desired immersion experience right to the user. It is a presentation solution which bridges the gap and shows users an incredible 360 degree panoramic view of anything they need information about: whether it’s new acreage, a packing line, a produce aisle, or a grape varietal in the vineyard.
In our people-oriented industry, virtual reality offers the opportunity to bring growers and buyers together, virtually. And much to our delight, many in our industry are already exploring these new frontiers to great success.
For example, last year at PMA Fresh Summit, Triple H Produce brought the field experience directly to buyers–easily demonstrating how virtual reality technology can launch a viewer from their chair into a deeper and more visual understanding of the company's operations and categories.
“It’s a one-of-a-kind opportunity to bring fields and facilities closer to our customers and potential buyers,” Alicia Garza, Marketing Manager at Triple H Produce shared with us. “We realized that many of the people we talk to, or that already buy produce from us, have never seen a real tomato or jalapeño plant before. With virtual reality we can change that, and give them firsthand experience in the field in under three minutes, without them ever leaving the room.”
In 2015, Frontera started experimenting with ways to bring business directly to its customers by using this immersive three-dimensional experience.
“Bringing our experiences to the buyer is what has made us so supportive of adopting this technology,” said Tonya Hill, formerly Frontera’s Director of Sales, regarding the company’s innovative endeavors. “Face-to-face time with our customers is a very integral part of our business philosophy. We will wholeheartedly get behind any opportunity that allows us to bring the entire Frontera experience–from field to store shelf–to our customers. It allows us to bring our gorgeous South Texas fields anywhere and gives buyers the opportunities to learn what we do to deliver the best product.”
It would seem that virtual and augmented reality platforms are more than a gimmicky flash-in-the-pan, and with large-scale endorsements like this from Walmart and other industires, it seems that ubiquity is right around the corner.
CALIFORNIA - Whether consumers are looking to grill or eat their fruits and veggies fresh this summer, you can bet that onions are at the top of their basket. As California sweet onions move into full swing, how is this specialty produce item looking to make this summer one to remember?
As the teams at Country Sweet Produce, Peri & Sons Farms, and Tanimura & Antle recently told me, this year is full of great opportunities at the retail and foodservice levels for all things California sweet onions.
At T&A, VP of Brand Marketing & Communications Samantha Cabaluna shares that the company is ramping up for a sweet season with a Bold, Sweet Taste of Summer in-store display contest for its Artisan Sweet Italian Red Onions.
“California sweet onions are definitely special, with our Artisan Sweet Italian Red Onions offering an extra special bold, sweet flavor to summer cooking,” Samantha tells me. “Our varieties are unique and developed over decades from authentic Italian stock that produces an exceptional flavor.”
From fresh in the salad bowl, to hot on the grill, or even pickled, T&A is offering its Artisan Sweet Italian Red Onions from June through September. Retailers can contact a member of their team for details on its best in-store display contest, for their own chance to win with California sweet onions.
“Our sweet onion program started June 1st, and will run through the month of August,” Gina Pettit, Specialty Sales Manager at Country Sweet Produce Marketing, shares. “Our Bako Sweet® sweet onion is a true flat sweet onion, which makes it easy for our customers to identify and appreciate they are buying a quality sweet onion.”
Gina tells me that the Southern San Joaquin Valley of California allows Country Sweet Produce/Valpredo Farms to grow a high-quality sweet onion. Bakersfield soil is rich in essential nutrients for producing some of the sweet produce in the nation. The company continually develops exceptional growing methods to provide consistent quality and sizing that its customers can build their Summer onion programs around.
“Summer isn’t summer without the taste of sweet onions,” Teri Gibson, Director of Marketing & Customer Relations at Peri & Sons, shares with me. “Our California sweets are globe-shaped and hand-harvested, so they always look great, display well, and have exceptional shelf-life.”
Available now, Peri & Sons sweet onions will run through June before its proprietary Sweet Sweet® program kicks into gear from July through December. This year will also mark for the company’s new tearless sweet onion, the Sunion®, available December through March.
Looking to bring your produce department to the next level this summer? Look no further than the special taste and appeal of the California sweet onion.
Country Sweet Produce Valpredo Farms Tanimura & Antle Peri & Sons
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that Thomas W. Northcross, doing business as Produce Place USA, satisfied a reparation order issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
According to a USDA press release, the McAllen, Texas, company can continue operating in the produce industry upon applying for and being issued a PACA license. Thomas W. Northcross was listed as the sole proprietor of the business and may now be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee.
USDA is required to impose sanctions on a business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. 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.
Once a reparation order is fully satisfied and it is confirmed that there are not any outstanding unpaid awards, USDA lifts the employment restrictions of the previously named responsibly connected individuals. USDA also requires any unlicensed company that fully satisfies all unpaid reparation awards to obtain a license if it continues to operate in the 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.
YAKIMA, WA - Orchard blooms are wrapping up for the year, and Superfresh Growers® anticipates cherry harvest on June 10, with apricots to follow in early July. The company’s delightful Chief Horticulturist, Dave Gleason, shared his orchard insights, along with the company's latest video depicting the magic of the bloom, below.
According to a press release, a strong spring bloom has ensured a healthy feast for bees, as they pollinated the Superfresh Growers® apple, pear, cherry, and apricot orchards. Earlier this spring, Gleason commented that the aromas of all the blossoms were “intoxicating.” During bloom season, the Superfresh Growers orchard team hand thins blossoms, pulling off unneeded flowers. The Superfresh team picks off outside blooms, leaving the king bloom, which will produce a larger size apple.
“A tree will bloom way more flowers than it can handle, if they all become apples,” describes Gleason. “In fact, we only need one percent of the flowers to give us a full crop. If all the flowers stayed on the trees and produced apples, the apples would stay very small as they compete for tree nutrients.”
Bees are busy at work in the months of April and May, pollinating each blossom that will become a cherry, apple, pear, or apricot. Many fruit varieties need to be cross-pollinated, and rely on bees to set the crop for harvest. As bees travel from flower to flower in search of nectar, they brush up against the pollen located on the flower’s stamen. Pollen clings to the bee and is later transferred to other blooms as the bee continues to search for more nectar. Bees visit 10-15 flowers per minute, and up to 5,000 flowers a day! They are responsible for approximately 90% of the pollination of fruit trees.
As the harvest progresses, stay tuned with AndNowUKnow as we continue to report.
WEST DES MOINES, IA - Keep your eyes out for an increased presence for retailer Hy-Vee, as the company has announced it will begin work on a new, $29 million fulfillment center in Kansas City, Missouri.
With Kansas City Council members approving a $17 million bond for Hy-Vee to build the facility, the retailer is priming to take over nearly 137,000-square-feet in an industrial park in the southern region of the city. According to a report from the Kansas City Star, Hy-Vee officials are saying the facility will be dual purpose, both providing a fulfillment center to support its Hy-Vee Aisles Online order and delivery program, as well as housing a kitchen facility that will prepare food to be distributed to the grocer’s area stores.
Hy-Vee expects to employ about 127 people at the facility’s start, and anticipates this number to rise to more than 200 as time goes on. The source reported that the average annual wage for these jobs is expected to be about $30,000.
Thursday, the city council approved a 50 percent personal property tax abatement for 10 years, worth about $838,000. Hy-Vee’s funding request to the council predicted the retailer will invest $15.5 million in machinery and equipment, as well as $13.5 million in real estate and tenant finishes.
As Hy-Vee continues to pump up its resources for e-commerce and prepared foods, we will continue to keep our eyes on the Kansas City retail landscape. Until then, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
MCALLEN, TX - ScanTech Sciences is serious about produce safety, and as the company is heading into the second half of this year, it is doubling down on its commitment. I caught up with ScanTech’s Business Development Manager Antonio Elosua Cantu, who filled me in on the company’s new McAllen-based facility for produce pasteurization over the border.
“We at ScanTech are building the first-of-its-kind facility. Its called ‘Electronic Cold Pasteurization™,’” Antonio explains to me as we discuss the company’s proprietary process. “It’s a phytosanitary treatment for pathogen reduction and shelf-life extension.”
Essentially, with its patented Electronic Cold-Pasteurization (ECP) treatment and comprehensive logistic services, several different types of fresh produce can enjoy an extended shelf-life, enhanced visibility, and reduced compliance risk and costs. Additionally, Antonio tells me that this process can take place both without breaking the cold chain or removing the produce from its final packaging.
Want an in-depth look at all the benefits ScanTech looks to provide with the help of its new facility? Watch my full interview with Antonio above, and check out scantechsciences.com for additional information on all the company’s processes.
LAS CRUCES, NM - As a now displaced, one-time desert-dweller, I am still a diehard chile fanatic despite moving to Northern California. And at the top of my list of preferred peppers sits the coveted Hatch green chile, straight from New Mexico. As an outspoken advocate of the spicy, smoky, sweet flavor I connected with TJ Runyan, Owner and Founder of Mesilla Valley Produce to discuss what is happening with this hot trend (pun intended), and how retailers can capitalize on the one-of-a-kind item.
“All of our fresh green chile is grown right in the Hatch region, giving consumers the authentic Hatch experience,” TJ shares with me. “What makes green chiles from Hatch so special is that it is the only place in the world with the right soil, temperature and elevation to grow this delicious pepper. The hot days and cool nights lead to a thicker wall, preserving the robust flavor of the pepper. I liken it to Napa Valley wine; product grown from anywhere else doesn’t taste quite the same. For retailers, sharing this unique origin story is a great way to pique consumer interest.”
TJ tells me he would describe a Hatch green chile as a flavor explosion, which pairs well with a broad range of foods, and I’d be inclined to agree. It’s easy to see why the pepper is quickly gaining nationwide notoriety. Seeing growth year after year in this once-niche category, TJ tells me that he when he started packing Hatch chiles in 2002 the company sold about 2,100 cases. This year, he anticipates packing over 200,000.
When I ask TJ what is driving this exponential growth, he sums it up: While the Hatch has been a staple of New Mexico cuisine since antiquity, now more than ever consumers are sharing eating experiences and tales of the Hatch have spread far and wide. He believes the market has just started to reach maturity, though the growth shows no signs of stopping.
Mesilla Valley Produce primarily offers Hot and Mild green chiles, supplementing with Medium and Extra Hot spice levels. The season usually runs from late July to mid-September, with the company packing in mostly 25 lb cartons. Currently the main distribution points are from California and Texas, but with the rapid growth of the category, the company has expanded every year to the Pacific Northwest, Southeast, and Northeast.
A veritable expert on these special peppers, TJ is happy to share tips for retailers to boost ring at the register with Hatch green chiles.
“It’s all about the roasting!” TJ offers. “That is part of the authentic New Mexico experience that consumers are looking for—you can captivate consumers senses and taste buds when you hold roasting events outside of your store. Fire up the roaster and the crackling noise from the burners, the smell of the roasting peppers, and the exquisite smoky flavor will transport your customers to New Mexico whether you are in Dallas, Los Angeles, or New York.”
TJ also emphasizes the importance of educating the consumer on these peppers. For example, the Hatch green chile boasts a broad variety of benefits, as an excellent source of vitamin C, and boosts metabolism through thermodynamic burn, a side effect of the spicy flavor.
Will this writer’s dream of Hatch green chile ubiquity come true? Stay tuned with AndNowUKnow as we continue to report the latest.