CULIACÁN, SINALOA, MX - In its fourth year of bringing together the thriving agricultural community of Sinaloa, 2017’s Sinaloa Encanta meeting went off without a hitch. Held March 10th in Culiacán’s Rancho Nuevo estate, the event brought together nearly 1,000 guests, including Sinaloa’s Governor Quirino Díaz Ordaz, Culiacán Mayor Jesús Valdéz, AMHPAC President Oscar Woltman, and Texas International Produce Association’s Director of Industry Relations Hector Garza.
“The fourth version of Sinaloa Encanta showed its consolidation as the must-go meeting for all the players in the agro business in Sinaloa,” shared Eduardo Leyson, President of the event’s organization committee and an agricultural producer himself. “This state produces 70 millions of boxes of vegetables per year from 150 thousands acres, and generates 200 thousand jobs. We are producing quantity and quality, and it is a great business to come and see first-hand all the possibilities that we have to offer. Sinaloa Encanta is a one stop place for the buyers.”
This year’s event saw a near doubling of attendance over 2016, according to a press release, teeming with buyers and business meeting, as well as exceptional Sinaloan cuisine, wine, and local art, music, and traditions. Boasting over 35 business meetings, producers met with buyers such as:
- Dandrea Produce - Vineland, NJ
- MAS Melons & Grapes - Nogales, AZ
- Double Diamond Farms - Leamington, ON
- J&J Family of Farms - Nogales, AZ
- Star Produce US - Nogales, AZ
- BC Hot House - Vancouver, BC
- iDeal HarBest - Nogales, AZ
- Fresh Farms - Nogales, AZ
- Triple H - Pharr, TX
- Marengo Foods - Dallas, TX
Additional high profile attendees included Director of Financial National of Agricultural, Rural, Forestry and Fisheries Development (FND) Mario Zamora Gastélum; Business Coordinating Council’s (CCE) Juan Pablo Castañón; President of the Mexican Olympic Committee (COM) Carlos Padilla Becerra; Deputy, political representative of Sinaloa, Manuel Clouthier Carrillo; President of Phoenix Metro AEM Cesar F. Verduzco; International Bridge Director from City of Pharr TX, Luis Bazan; and the CEO of the United States-México Foundation for Science (FUMEC).
And closuring out the all-star event was international artist Lupita D'Alessio, who sang and danced to all attendees. All proceeds from this year’s Sinaloa Encanta will go towards the Henry Ford Foundation, which supports the “Henry Ford” elementary schools for children of farm workers, a fundamental part of Sinaloa’s agroindustry.
Whether you made it out to Culiacán this year or not, don’t miss the fifth annual Sinaloa Encanta, already slated for March 2018!
WENATCHEE, WA – The sky is no longer the limit, it seems for CMI Orchards. CMI Orchards’ Kanzi® branded apples received a rare honor this February when the exceptionally flavorful variety was selected to be launched into space to provide astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) much needed fresh food.
An even more rarified experience was in store for Steve Lutz, VP of Marketing, though, when the company received a surprise personal thank you from two astronauts—calling the company from earth’s orbit.
I recently spoke to Steve about the experience and the apples that made it possible.
“I had to ask a couple times when they said it was NASA: ‘Say that again? You’re calling from where?’”
I struggled to imagine fielding a call from two people traveling 17,500 mph, 220 miles above the surface of the earth.
“It’s one of those things where you hang up, and you are just speechless,” said Steve. “It’s just something you don’t anticipate—that you’d talk to astronauts orbiting the earth. To actually talk with astronauts—roaming above the earth, above the Galapagos Islands—that are calling us to say thank you for the apples we sent into space is just something you don’t expect to happen in the course of your career.”
And the content of the phone call? Kanzi® apples’ out of this world flavor.
“We sent the Kanzi® apples up into space on the Space X resupply rocket about a week and a half ago,” Steve explained, “and they received the apples, and were apparently so delighted with them they wanted to call us up and say thank you.”
The crew of the ISS just could not get enough Kanzi® apples.
“They get such a limited supply of fresh food; they absolutely crave it,” Steve told me. “We were only allowed to send up a dozen or so apples, so they are a pretty valuable commodity by the time they get up in space. And Kanzi® is a very intensely flavored apple, so I think for the astronauts, that was icing on the cake. I think they were totally wowed by getting those apples.”
For the crew of the ISS, apples and other fresh offerings can be, very literally, a valuable commodity. Just last year, Business Insider estimated the cost of sending a lemon into space on a resupply vessel at a whopping $2,000.
Astronauts’ menus are carefully chosen to minimize weight and maximize nutrition, and historically, they have been subjected to all manner of desiccated and freeze-dried foods, tubes of pureed pastes, and an infamously bad coffee.
But since the infancy of the space program, technological and logistical innovations have resulted in the ability to ship astronauts more than unappetizing pastes and powders, and fresh and flavorful offerings like Kanzi® apples can be shipped in limited quantities to the ISS’s crew.
And CMI Orchards is proud to contribute to the space program in this way.
“It’s nice to know that we can produce an apple that makes an impression, that gets people excited—even into outer space. And that’s what makes this so exciting for us. We know that when we send these out we get happy consumers, but to have them reach so far, to have astronauts delighted by them is really exciting,” Steve explained to me, noting that the company had previous worked with NASA to launch Kiku® apples into space last year.
For more on the produce in earth’s orbit, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
CALIFORNIA – It’s been a dry couple of weeks for California, as the state has enjoyed hints of summer and sunshine. Amidst this nice spell, the Midwesterner in me has been yearning for more cloud cover, and it looks as though I’m about to get my wish. A string of storms is bound for California soil, bringing rain and heavy snow to the state.
The first storm will make its landfall on late Monday, bringing wetness to much of Central and Northern California. According to AccuWeather, this weather pattern will be spurred on by a series of storms that will carry through to the middle of the week, before bringing spotty showers to the coast of Southern California that will extend through next weekend.
"Look for heavy rain in the low elevations and snow in the higher elevations across Central and Northern California and western Oregon from the first storm late Monday to Wednesday," according to AccuWeather Lead Storm Warning Meteorologist Eddie Walker.
Weather authorities expect these storms to cause travel delays throughout affected regions. Meterologists at AccuWeather also stated that from Monday to Wednesday transportation issues can be expected in Northern California particularly over I-80 near Donner’s Pass.
"From late Monday to Wednesday, rainfall in excess of 3 inches and snowfall above 6,000 feet can top 12 inches," Walker said.
With winter months swollen with much-needed precipitation, California finally saw a potential end to its lengthy drought. PBS reported that state officials continue to expect variable weather patterns for the state, which could lead to more buoyant and fluctuating conditions.
As rain typically lightens in California from March through May, AndNowUKnow will keep you updated on any deviated weather occurrences and their ongoing effects on the state.
LOS ALAMITOS, CA - Produce Managers—while often the unsung heroes behind the scenes of our industry, Frieda’s Specialty Produce is one of the companies hard at work to see these hardworking men and women get their due. This April 2nd is the 6th annual Love Your Produce Manager® Day, and Frieda’s is inviting industry participation in saluting the hardworking men and women in supermarket produce departments, both in stores and over social media with hashtag #LYPM. And as an added bonus, for each industry organization that shares the hashtag or mentions Love Your Produce Manager® Day in its communications, Frieda’s will make a donation to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, a member of the Feeding America national network.
“The produce department is the heart of the supermarket, and produce managers keep it ticking,” shared Karen Caplan, President and CEO. “According to United Fresh Produce Association’s 2016 year in review, 33 percent of all fresh grocery sales comes from produce. And these men and women contribute to that success with their beautiful displays and excellent customer service. Their passionate work helps put more fruits and vegetables in the shopping basket, boosts produce consumption, and inspires new food experiences for shoppers.”
Frieda’s has designed some helpful, shareable graphics to use in your support of Produce Managers. According to a press release, Love Your Produce Manager® Day messages must be posted by 11:59 p.m. PST on April 3 to be counted for the donation. Additionally, Frieda’s will be hosting a public social media giveaway, incentivizing shoppers to share selfies with their local supermarket produce managers and hashtag #LYPM from March 28 through April 4.
As creator of Love Your Produce Manager® Day, a day featured in Chase’s Calendar of Events since 2012, Frieda’s has long been supporting both Produce Managers and various charities. In 2015 more than 40 organizations participated in LYPM online activities. Frieda’s made 2015’s donation to United Fresh Produce Association’s “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” initiative.
“Conversations that produce managers have with shoppers pave the way for us to bring to market unique and exciting products like Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes, jackfruit, and fresh turmeric root,” Caplan said. “Without the help of a Salt Lake City produce manager listening to a single consumer’s request in 1962, kiwifruit may not have become the well known and loved fruit it is today.”
In the much lauded “Fear No Fruit,” documentary chronicling the life of Dr. Frieda Rapoport Caplan, the filmmakers highlight the importance of produce managers as a contributing factor in her success as the first woman entrepreneur on the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market in the 1960s. “Fear No Fruit” is available on DVD and digital streaming platforms (iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Instant Video). The film is also available for group and educational screenings by contacting Kino Lorber EDU.
YAKIMA, WA - With treefruit continually driving sales on the shelf, there is lots of ingenuity to be gleaned while getting more apples from the orchard and into consumer hands. Domex Superfresh Growers seems to have taken this mindset truly to heart, as seen through its organic pouch bags, offering nine of the company’s premium apple varieties in 2 lb packs.
So with that in mind, how does Domex Superfresh Growers do what they do best? With several promising events on the horizon, I asked Communications Manager Catherine Gipe-Stewart to clue me in:
Q: What's the secret to all the creativity and hard work behind the Superfresh team?
Catherine Gipe-Stewart: GIFs! We love to cheer each other on to overcome challenges, and congratulate each other on successes. Sometimes all you need is a little congratulatory dance.
Q: What opportunities does your organic pouch bags offer that distinguish them from other packs?
CG: Pouch bags are trending across the produce department. Attractive and convenient, Superfresh organic pouches offer the premium package that our key consumer is looking for: portable, resealable, and recyclable—all things that resonate with our organic consumers. The resealable part is a consumer favorite, we recently heard from a mom who prefers pouch bags as an easy way to have fruit in the car for her kids.
Q: How should retailers utilize 2 lb organic bags to grow their category?
CG: Our organic pouch bags are “self-merchandising,” and therefore easy for produce retailers to use. They stand upright, calling attention to themselves with the use of attractive graphics and useful product information. Our pouch bags have a convenient handle and generous clear panels for viewing fruit.
Q: Consumer demand for pouch bags has been steadily increasing, what has Superfresh Growers done to upgrade the packing process for pouch bags?
CG: Consumer demand is growing for pouch bags, to leverage this increase, we are working towards improving our packing efficiency by installing new automated and semi-automated machinery at our packing facilities.
With more retailers keeping a close eye on the possibilities of packaging, and the merchandising and promotional capabilities that follow, Domex Superfresh Growers has even further innovations in store, so stay tuned.
As the season continues to build, stick with AndNowUKnow for all the latest.
CALIFORNIA - As California adjusts to the influx of water received this past winter, officials have closed a massive pumping station for repairs that transports water to a large part of Southern California. Crews spotted erosion along the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and forecast it will take at least a month to make necessary repairs to its intake reservoir, according to the Sacramento Bee.
State officials said those reliant on the water source won’t see supply shortages. The California Department of Water Resources’ Doug Carlson stated that demand from farms and cities is relatively low this time of year, and that so long as the erosion can be fixed in the next 30 to 45 days, there is enough water in the system that neither state nor federal water users are concerned for a shortage.
Carlson emphasized that the shutdown and repairs can be completed without harming south state water deliveries, the report noted. The San Luis Reservoir in Merced County is currently flowing, with officials confident it can sustain deliveries to Southern California and its hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland that look to the water normally shipped down the California Aqueduct.
Additionally, the federal U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s nearby pumping facility, while less powerful, can connect to the California Aqueduct through a connector canal. If necessary, the state could ask for this as an additional resource.
The repairs will be paid for by State Water Project contractors, Carlson stated, which will likely be “a few million dollars” using concrete injections. AndNowUKnow will continue to follow updates on this and other water news that could affect the produce industry.
STELLARTON, NS - Since acquiring Safeway Canada in late 2013, Sobeys hasn’t had the smoothest transition into its new digs, it seems. Now, with new CEO of parent Empire, Michael Medline, at the helm, the company believes it's well-poised to turn its bout of bad luck around with what he refers to as a sharper, more simplified strategy.
“We will take aggressive and bold actions to address the issues in our business, and we are prepared to make the tough decisions and [take] decisive actions necessary to see Empire return to sustainably profitable growth,” Medline said on a call with investors, according to The Globe and Mail.
Medline acknowledged its integration of the new Safeway Canada business was not as smooth as the company had hoped, noting that there were several issues that ended up resulting in unstocked shelves and less-than-happy customers.
Having changed its sourcing policies for fresh produce, as well as switched its private labels, the company found itself struggling to compete with the trends of lower pricing in Western Canada, the source explains. The company’s discount chain, FreshCo., currently is not located throughout Canada’s western provinces, but Medline suggested that, while not an urgent project, he is studying whether or not to expand the banner into the competitive market place.
Over the past year or so, Sobeys has dropped its prices, Globe and Mail explains, but Medline made clear the retailer is aware there is more to attracting customers than just price. “In my long experience with different banners, when you take away what’s dear to customers, there’s a grave effect,” he explained, possibly referring to the company's decision to switch its Safeway brand out in favor of Sobeys Compliments line.
In Sobeys third quarter financial report, released yesterday, the company reported adjusted net earnings, of $34.6 million ($0.13 per diluted share). This is a 58.1 percent decrease compared to $82.5 million ($0.30 per diluted share) in the third quarter of 2016.
“Our results are not where they need to be,” Medline was quoted in the company’s earning report. “We have the employees and assets to put much better numbers up on the board...although it will take time, we will deliver such results.”
What will we see from the newly-helmed retailer as we head into its final financial quarter of the year? Stay tuned for more on this and the continually changing Canadian retail landscape.
TAMPA, FL – IFCO has released the results of an updated report detailing the ways in which the company’s Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) deliver greater environmental savings than single-use corrugated fiber containers.
“IFCO has a strong commitment to the environment, and IFCO RPCs have developed a well-deserved reputation as a sustainable option for fresh produce packaging,” said Daniel Walsh, President, IFCO North America, in a company press release. “This study shows that RPCs—across-the-board—are the most sustainable choice for fresh food packaging compared to corrugated boxes.”
The peer-reviewed report was entitled “Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Reusable Plastic Container and Display- and Non-Display-Ready Corrugated Containers Used for Fresh Produce Applications” (LCA). The LCA—an update to an April 2016 study—reviewed the environmental impact of RPCs versus Display-Ready Corrugated Fiber Containers (DRC) and Non-Display Ready Corrugated Fiber Containers (NDC) used in the packaging of apples, bell peppers, carrots, grapes, iceberg lettuce, onions, oranges, peaches, nectarines, tomatoes, and strawberries in North America.
The 2017 LCA indicated that, compared to display-ready corrugated boxes, RPCs:
- Produce 31% less global warming potential (carbon dioxide equivalents)
- Produce 86% less solid waste
- Consume 80% less water
- Require 64% less energy
- Contribute significantly less environmental pollution (85% lower eutrophication, 78% lower ozone depletion, 66% lower acidification, and 42% less photochemical smog)
The report concluded that IFCO RPCs were the most environmentally sustainable of the compared containers, across all categories: “In all eight examined environmental indicators (energy demand, global warming potential, ozone depletion potential, water consumption, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical smog, solid waste generation), the IFCO RPCs, as defined in this analysis, provide greater environmental savings for delivering produce in North America than does the use of fiber corrugated containers for these commodities.”
The study was conducted by Franklin Associates, a nationally-recognized life cycle assessment and solid waste management consulting firm. Franklin Associates looked at the sustainable attributes of RPCs, display-ready corrugated fiber containers (DRCs) and non-display-ready corrugated fiber containers (NDCs) used to package, transport, and display fresh produce. Results were peer-reviewed by packaging and LCA experts from the School of Packaging at Michigan State University, the Center for Sustainable Systems School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan, and an LCA consultant who is a former U.S. EPA LCA Manager and current Editor-In-Chief of the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.
Walsh concluded: “IFCO’s share and reuse business model is an important part of the drive toward a Circular Economy that results in zero emissions and zero waste. We will continue to advance the sustainability of our products and operations in the months and years ahead so that we can preserve the world’s natural resources for future generations.”
For more on this and other exceptional companies in the fresh produce industry, check in with us at AndNowUKnow.
SALINAS, CA – The Organic Produce Network (OPN) is growing its presence in the industry with the launch of a new website, weekly e-newsletter, and a new addition to its staff.
The company’s website, organicproducenetwork.com, is designed to serve the organic produce community with helpful information and educational resources. The site includes an overview of organic produce—how it differs from conventional produce—and provides resources for visitors to learn more about organic fresh produce. According to a press release, the site will be updated on an ongoing basis to maintain a fresh, vibrant, and informative feel.
OPN has also blasted the inaugural edition of its OPN Connect newsletter, a free weekly e-newsletter addressing current issues and topics related to organic fresh produce with an emphasis on original content and analysis.
Additionally, OPN has added Jill Tebbe to its growing team. Tebbe will serve as the company’s Marketing and Administrative Assistant, where she will be involved in all aspects of OPN’s marketing and communications programs. According to OPN, Tebbe’s social media, digital, and email marketing experience will be a major benefit to the company. Tebbe will join Sales Manager Dana Davis and Editor Patty Bennie-Foss on staff.
“We’re excited to have Jill on our team and look forward to utilizing her marketing experience to work together and grow the Organic Produce Network," said Matt Seeley, CEO.
Before joining OPN, Tebbe worked in marketing for the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Moxxy Marketing, as well as the California Rodeo Salinas and the American Quarter Horse Association.
For more on this and other developments in the produce industry, check in with us at AndNowUKnow.
NEW YORK CITY, NY - Former Long Island banana importer Thomas Hoey Jr. saw a victory from New York’s highest court yesterday which stands to reduce his sentence on federal drug charges and reversing his state court conviction for assault.
As we previously reported, Hoey Jr. was convicted for assault, tampering with evidence, and embezzlement. Later the assault and tampering charges were reversed on the grounds of a flawed conviction, due to the trial judge excluding Hoey Jr. from a key pre-trial hearing.
The reversal was up for review, according to source Newsday, but the New York Court of Appeals said in a brief order issued yesterday that it would leave the ruling intact.
In that case, Hoey Jr. was sentenced to 1 1⁄3 to 4 years, to be served after he completed consecutive federal sentences of the previously reported 12.5 years in the drug case and 5.5 years for defrauding worker pensions.
“The office is reviewing its options, in light of the fact the defendant is presently serving a lengthy federal sentence,” said Joan Vollero, Spokeswoman for District Attorney Cy Vance Jr., according to the report.
Hoey Jr.’s sentence came to a total of 151 months, but stands to see both a reduction in his federal sentencing guidelines, and subsequently, a shorter federal prison term if the state assault case is eliminated.
“We await a definitive decision from the District Attorney’s office as to whether a retrial will occur,” said Hoey Jr.’s appeals lawyer, James Kousouros.
Since going to prison, Newsday reports that Hoey Jr. said he has “developed profound respect for the law” and has “developed into a responsible person.” He filed two pro se petitions in federal court last month, seeking to withdraw his guilty plea in the drug case and arguing that he is entitled to a shorter sentence.
He is currently in federal prison in Berlin, New Hampshire, with a release date of Dec. 30, 2028.