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YUMA, AZ and SALINAS, CA - Already it is time to transition back to California from Yuma, Arizona, and as numerous categories make the move, The Nunes Company’s (Foxy Vegetables) VP of Sales, Doug Classen, took the time to give me his insights into the next few weeks.
“All the crops in Yuma have been tracking anywhere from a week to three weeks ahead of schedule,” Doug shares with me. “We started transitioning broccoli about two weeks ago, we started cauliflower last week, and our asparagus program started around three or four weeks ago now.”
As for leafy greens, including iceberg and romaine lettuces, Doug says that the company is in its final stretch for the Yuma season. Iceberg lettuce will make its way to Huron, California, by Monday, March 27. Romaine and leaf will start in Salinas by the first week of April.
We could see a slow-down in product, Doug cautions, as we look to catch up to Mother Nature.
“Because Yuma is ahead of schedule on a lot of products, I think we are going to see some volatility in the supply-side for the next 4 to 6 weeks. It’s difficult to say when things will level out, because a lot of that will be weather-dependent, so we will have to see how that affects things,” Doug explains when I ask about what might be on the horizon.
While forecasts of rain across California is also a factor, Doug says that desire on the consumer-side is there.
“Demand has been good, especially against the lack of supplies, so we have seen a spike in some markets,” he shares.
As for Foxy’s organic categories, those will be moving back up to Salinas starting in the days to come.
“We don’t grow organic out of Huron, so we will be making the transition up to Salinas on the organic side of things next week as we finish up Yuma.”
As California, both north and south, continue to see surprising amounts of storms to kick off the spring, AndNowUKnow will continue to follow key updates for all sides of the industry.
BAKERSFIELD, CA - A newly resolved court case brought what Sun World International is referring to as noteworthy victory for proprietary fruit breeders. An Israeli court ruled in favor of Sun World, granting a temporary injunction against an Israeli grape grower infringing on the Intellectual Property rights of the company.
According to a press release, the injunction prohibited the infringer from continuing to market fruit produced from the proprietary grapevines, leading to a settlement whereby the infringer agreed to uproot his vineyard and cease growing the protected fruit variety. Sun World International is the fruit breeder and licensor of related Intellectual Property for Sugrathirteen, a proprietary black seedless grape owned by Sun World and marketed by the company and its licensees under the MIDNIGHT BEAUTY® brand.
“We are pleased with the court’s unambiguous message that fruit breeders’ rights prevent a protected variety’s growth and proliferation without the lawful owner’s permission,” said Executive Vice President David Marguleas said.
Marguleas, who also serves as President of Sun World Innovations, also noted that the company owns a vast portfolio of Intellectual Property in more than 40 countries, and remains committed to aggressively protecting its rights throughout the world. “This landmark case reflects the importance of Intellectual Property in agriculture and supports a shift of attitude amongst producers towards respect for these rights,” he added.
The Israeli Central District Court ruling held that the interests of entities making large financial investments in the development of their varieties should be protected.
The judge stated, “I think that the lack of enforcement of the protection given to the variety’s registered owners and its rights to prevent its exploitation by others in the protection period—in cases where the cause of action is allegedly proven, as it is in our case—may diminish the existing incentive for developing new varieties and inflict notably significant damage to those developers of varieties that have acquired protection.”
Since Sun World’s inception in the early-1980s, the company’s Variety Development Center has released more than 100 varieties, aiming for improved flavor, size, color, shelf-life, and extended seasonality. In addition to production on its own California farms, Sun World licenses producers to grow its proprietary varieties in North America, Europe, South America, Australia, the Middle East and South Africa.
To learn more information about the company, visit www.sun-world.com.
ELGIN, MN – Creating new opportunities for retailers, and receiving rave reviews thus far, Honeybear Brands’ Pazazz variety is making a splash in the produce department. Debuted in December of 2016, the company said its proprietary variety has been shattering retail sales targets this winter.
“We’re looking at the sales numbers and receiving feedback from our retail partners as we speak,” said Don Roper, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Honeybear Brands. “We’re thrilled. Pazazz did exactly what we designed the variety to do: offer a truly exceptional variety to help drive new revenue for retailers as well as provide an opportunity to extend their sales window of premium apple varieties well into the later winter months.”
Pazazz rolled out a month earlier than usual for this season, and sold faster and in more markets and retail stores than it ever has since its initial introduction. According to a press release, this response comes less than a year ahead of the variety’s nationwide rollout in 2018.
“We couldn’t be happier with the results we’ve seen from Pazazz,” stated Craig Clasen, Group Vice President of Produce Purchasing at Hy-Vee. “For a new variety, it’s performing incredibly well across our more than 240 stores throughout the Midwest and it offers many of the things we try to bring our customers with every piece of produce that they purchase–excellence in quality, superior taste and freshness.”
The variety’s early debut was due to increased production from planted acreage, as well as the continued maturation of Pazazz orchards. The arrival led to an immediate impact on pre-holiday sales as Pazazz was sold in more than 50 markets and 1,000 stores throughout January and February. Honeybear’s Pazazz retail partners included the following:
- Central Markets
- Coborns
- Cub
- Hy-Vee, Inc.
- Kroger
- Loblaws
- Lunds & Byerlys
- Publix
- United/Market Street
- Wegmans
“Pazazz definitely supports our brand promise to customers by offering fruit that presents an exciting new eating experience that is unique to our stores. Pazazz’s unparalleled burst of sweet and tart flavors will keep our customers coming back for more of this awesome new apple variety,” said Joseph Bunting, Produce Business Director of United Supermarkets.
This year’s crop production increased almost 400% over last year, and has already sold out. The company noted that while it may be too early still to put an exact number on final retail sales figures, feedback has been highlighted as strong with repeat customer sales and a sharp rise in inquiries from new customers seeking Pazazz by name.
“Pazazz has created a strong following among apple lovers,” added Roper. “That’s an incredible development in just a few short years and an absolute win for retailers who are giving their customers another reason to get excited in the fresh produce aisle. It is a real testament to the unique eating experience of this apple and it’s flavor profile that has significantly raised the bar in the apple category.”
Honeybear Brands is looking to increase its number of grower partners in the Southern hemisphere as Pazazz production volumes also rise towards the variety’s national scale 2018 availability. Through this strategy, Honeybear Brands will investigate growing Pazazz in order to provide for a year-round fresh crop retail model.
ISSAQUAH, WA - Our friends at Costco Wholesale are throwing a hat into the home grocery delivery ring. The retailer has announced it will be teaming up with startup delivery company Shipt, who will start bringing Costco’s groceries straight to consumer’s doors in Tampa.
And if Tampa proves successful? Shipt shared in a press release that it has plans to offer these services to 50 markets and over 30 million households by the end of the 2017.
"We founded Shipt to simplify the grocery shopping experience, and are pleased to give our dedicated members access to unmatched savings as an extension of their Shipt memberships," said Bill Smith, Founder and CEO of Shipt. "As we continue to scale Shipt on a national level, we look forward to offering more options for delivery to our Florida members today, and to Shipt members across the country in the future."
This new e-commerce move is one that is certainly on trend for the current retail landscape. With retailers like Walmart and Amazon at the forefront of making e-commerce acquisitions and grocery delivery/pickup partnerships, and companies like Instacart and Albertsons taking charge of their own delivery plans, it’s no surprise Costco has decided to take to the online shopping route.
Founded in 2014, Shipt has previously worked with retailers such as Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, and Kroger. Shipt memberships are available for an annual fee of $99, with members gaining access to unlimited free deliveries. Shipt users will be able to shop a full selection of consumables offered, note any preferences, choose a one-hour delivery window, and pay for their order. Shipt shoppers hand pick their items and deliver them as soon as one hour after the order is placed.
As Costco continues to roll out the plan into new markets, AndNowUKnow will bring you the latest updates.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, CA - A historically-wet winter and early-spring had led many California farmers to hope for a full water allocation from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Central Valley Project this year. Instead, the bureau has issued a 65 percent allocation—up from a mere 5 percent last year—but still well-short of 100 percent.
“With record-level precipitation and flooding, and fear of more to come, a 65 percent Central Valley Project initial water allocation for farmers south of the Delta defies logic,” responded Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif, in a statement issued by the organization. “While an improvement over the zero to five percent allocations of the past three years, the stark reality is inescapably obvious: Regulatory actions are depriving farmers and millions of Californians dependent on the farm economy of their livelihoods.
According to the California Department of Water Resources, statewide measures of precipitation, snow water content, and reservoir storage are all well above average—as of March 21st, standing at 190 percent, 185 percent, and 105 percent of average, respectively for this time of year. But despite the improvement following the last several years of drought conditions, bureau officials noted they must weigh a multitude of conditions, including reservoir storage levels, hydrological conditions, and requirements to protect endangered species, according to a Fresno Bee report.
“Populations of the fish species these actions purportedly protect have not recovered,” Nassif retorted, “yet this year federal and state agencies will again redirect massive amounts of water out to sea while shorting farmers. Meanwhile, local water managers are struggling to create plans that comply with a state groundwater management law that prohibits excess pumping of groundwater while their main supply of water to recharge those basins continues to be throttled down.”
While the increase over last year—in which at least 200,000 acres in the Westland Water District were reportedly fallowed—is sizable, critics of the allocation contend that the conservative allotment is out of proportion with the demands of growers and the weather conditions in the region.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has issued 100 percent allocations to neighboring contractors north of and in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, according to a bureau press release. Citing the magnitude of the allocation and the availability of surface water, though, the bureau has maintained a 65 percent allocation in the western San Joaquin Valley, strongly encouraging growers to use surface water whenever possible.
“It is time for California to get serious about the building of additional storage capacity, as directed by the voters in approving the 2014 water bond,” said Nassif. “It is equally important for our elected officials to work with the appropriate government agencies to remove the punitive and unjustified regulatory chains jeopardizing the future of thousands of California farmers and the economic and social vitality of millions of our fellow Californians.”
For more on the situation as it develops, check in with us at AndNowUKnow.
- Read more about Wednesday, March 22nd 2017
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BENTONVILLE, AR - Walmart’s plans for a new distribution center have been reborn following the announcement that the company was shuttering plans for its Merced, California location. The newly approved facility will be built in coastal Alabama, and may occupy as much as 2.6-million-square-feet of warehouse space.
"We're excited about reaching this step in the process," Walmart’s Director of Corporate Communications Phillip Keene told AL.com. "We'll continue to work with state, county, city, and port officials closely and we thank them for their support so far."
The new distribution center, expected to add more than 500 jobs, recently gained approval from county officials for building and land disturbance permits, and construction is primed to start soon. According to AL.com, the project is currently estimated to cost $126.9 million, and will occupy 400 acres of rural property west of Mobile, Alabama, off of Interstate 10. In addition to the 2.6-million-square-feet of facility space, the property also contains 6,628-square-feet of accessory structures.
"[Walmart] went through an extensive site selection process and chose this site for a reason and for Walmart to make this type of investment in this location, they feel it's an advantageous site," Britton Bonner, a Mobile City Lawyer, told the source. "We hope to see continued growth."
When fully operational, the distribution center will likely attract more than 600 truckloads of goods per day from the nearby Port of Mobile. AL.com reported that the facility is expected to provide 550 full-time jobs.
The city and county reportedly laced the deal with $2.3 million of public incentives each, with the county and state also adding additional tax abatements and incentives. In order to receive the full tax credit with the state, Walmart must maintain a certain level of employees from Alabama.
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to take place next week, so stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for more news as this story develops.
SELAH, WA – Bringing a health focus to the forefront of its organic apple offerings, Rainier Fruit has announced the continuation of an important partnership. For its second year running, the company will be featured as the official apple of the Boston Marathon.
“Our sponsorship of the Boston Marathon started out as an effort to promote our products to active lifestyle consumers in one of the largest market regions in the U.S., but it has grown into a culture that epitomizes so much more,” said Andy Tudor, VP of Marketing & Business Development. “The stories we are hearing from our employees, from our customers and from our fans are about health, wellness, overcoming hardship, committing to service, maintaining perseverance, and more. These people inspire us to continue to grow the highest quality, healthiest fruits possible because that’s what it means to be Wholesome to the Core.”
The partnership between Rainier Fruit and the Boston Athletic Association was first broached in 2016, as an effort to promote organic apples to the health-minded crowd at the event. According to a press release, from there the company grew this focus into a multi-year campaign in order to continue delivering healthy fruits and health-focused messages to consumers across the nation.
The 2017 Boston Marathon will take place on April 17 for its 121st running. Rainier Fruit will create multiple points of contact throughout the length of the run for the more than 30,000 runners and 500,000 spectators, in addition to the general Boston community. Rainier Fruit plans to give away more than 40,000 pounds of Rising Star apple varieties during the four day marathon, including varieties such as Honeycrisp, Jazz®, Pink Lady®, and Rainier’s proprietary variety Lady Alice®.
“The whole Boston Marathon experience is deeply rooted in history, but it’s also steeped in community,” Tudor continued. “That level of community involvement and excitement creates a sense of loyalty and brand recognition uncommon in today’s consumer marketplace.”
Rainier Fruit will also be spreading its message through social media channels and its company blog, where it will profile employees, runners, and everyday people. Those selected to be profiled are ones making a difference in their own lives, their family’s lives, and in their communities. Rainier Fruit’s blog will also include informational content from brand ambassadors, including running coach Laura Norris of This Runner’s Recipes, and Boston Marathon Race Director Dave McGillivray.
New to the event this year is a partnership with local Boston Whole Foods Stores to support the Martin Richard Foundation on One Boston Day. Established in 2015, One Boston Day commemorates the spirit of Boston Strong after the devastating aftermath of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. Rainier Fruit and Whole Foods will donate a portion of all sales of Rainier apples on One Boston Day to the Foundation. The Foundation was established in memory of its namesake, who was a local Dorchester, MA youth who passed away during the event. Through the Foundation, his family is helping him spread his message of peace and creating a legacy of togetherness, teamwork, fairness, sportsmanship, inclusion, and simple acts of kindness.
As Rainier Fruit continues to put a focus on health and community, AndNowUKnow will have all the latest updates on its commitments.
WILMINGTON, OH – In an effort to expand its operations—and continue providing a steady supply of consistently priced produce to local retailers year-round—BrightFarms announced today that it will build a new 160,000-square-foot greenhouse in the Buckeye State.
“Wilmington is blessed to have cutting-edge agriculture locate here,” said local Mayor John Stanforth. “This is a great example of the farm-to-table supply chain, which ensures fresh foods.”
Slated for completion in late 2017, the new facility will provide 1,000,000 pounds of salad greens, herbs, and tomatoes each year and create 30 permanent green collar jobs, according to a company press release. BrightFarms aims to make its new greenhouse the most sustainable source of local, year-round, greenhouse-grown produce in the state of Ohio. The facility will significantly reduce food miles and improve the food supply chain’s overall environmental impact.
“The nation’s best supermarkets are responding to consumer demand for fresher, tastier, and more sustainable produce,” said CEO Paul Lightfoot, “and so demand for local produce like ours continues to grow extremely quickly.”
The company describes its new facility as a “cutting-edge, scalable solution to Americans’ increasing demand for local and sustainable food.” The facility will use 80 percent less water, 90 percent less land, 95 percent less shipping fuel than traditional forms of farming, and grow exclusively non-GMO, pesticide-free produce.
The company’s sustainable, fresh, and local fruits and veggies, produced on a commercial scale, have already found favor with its customers, and this new expansion hopes to bring the same crowd-pleasing fresh food even further into homes and kitchens.
“My restaurant, Bar Dumaine, relies on fresh, local ingredients,” said local chef Anne Kearney, “so it’s great that BrightFarms is opening a greenhouse in Wilmington to provide just that right in our backyard.”
For more on this and other exciting companies in the produce industry, check in with us at AndNowUKnow.