BOISE, ID & SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Albertsons has announced a partnership with RangeMe, an online platform that streamlines new product discovery between suppliers and retailers, spanning all 19 of its banners.
"This new technology directly benefits our customers and employees alike," said Mark Panzer, Albertsons Companies' Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Health and Wellness, according to Yahoo! Finance. "By implementing the RangeMe platform, our teams can quickly locate and stock shelves with products that our customers want, like organic health and beauty products or local items or brands. It saves us time and money, which is passed on to our shoppers."
Described as a strategic move with a system that gives suppliers greater access to retail buyers, the partnership currently applies to the retailer’s general merchandise, health, and beauty. Whether it will grow to encompass fresh items remains to be seen, but the move does fall in line with retail trends incorporating technology further into all aspects of buy-side operations.
"We are extremely excited to partner with such a leading-edge retailer as Albertsons Companies," said Founder and CEO of RangeMe Nicky Jackson. "As Albertsons Companies continues strive to be the Favorite Local Supermarket™ across the communities they serve, our technology will bring greater efficiency to their product sourcing process and give their category buyers the tools they need to win at the shelf."
Pat Dennis, the retailer’s Group Vice President, General Merchandising/Health and Beauty Care Merchandising, said that its buying teams are very aware that there are products out there waiting to be discovered.
As more and more technological strategies emerge to further give retailers an edge in the busy buy-side market, AndNowUKnow will continue to report on how these changes filter into the produce industry.
TEXAS – Heavy storms are expected to hit Texas this weekend, as subtropical moisture moves northward across a swath of the state from McAllen to Houston.
The storms promise much needed rain in the parched region—but could also result in dangerous weather conditions, according to an AccuWeather report. As the front progresses Northward, spotty showers over the Rio Grande Valley are predicted to intensify into soaking thunderstorms.
“The bulk of the rain will fall on lower Rio Grande Valley during Saturday night,” AccuWeather Expert Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski said. “While the rain is needed over the region, enough rain can fall to cause flash and urban flooding in some communities.”
Rainstorms will begin to impact the San Antonio and Houston areas late-Saturday, and may cause localized flooding throughout the night.
“Those living near streams and creeks or in low-lying areas should be prepared to move to higher ground if flooding becomes imminent, and motorists should always take caution not to drive through flooded roadways,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Kyle Elliott noted.
These storms may be the first in an unusually wet Spring for the state, and as a result, meteorologists are predicting improved drought conditions.
“Indications are that rainfall will likely be above average over the region through April,” said Kottlowski.
For more on weather conditions in important growing regions, check back in with us at AndNowUKnow.
SACRAMENTO, CA – There’s a $100 prize at the finish line of our latest challenge, but can you be the first to reach it?
Find the hidden AndNowUKnow logo, as seen below, on the cover of the February issue of The Snack Magazine. Then, race the industry to email us a picture of yourself pointing to the logo at [email protected].
The winner must send us a picture of themselves pointing out the logo in order to qualify for the $100 gift card!
If you were an I-Spy wiz in your younger years, than this contest is just for you! Don’t miss your chance to flaunt your skills as we aim to keep you on point and engaged with our series of competitive challenges.
There's no time like the present, so make sure to check out your issue of The Snack right now! For reference, check out our last hidden logo on December’s cover.
Interested in receiving a copy of The Snack to give you a leg up in future challenges? Click here to subscribe. Subscriptions are valued at $129 per year.
Good luck, and may the sharpest eyes in produce win!
VALENCIA, CA – With a new year comes new responsibilities, and Sunkist Growers has laid out its direction for the coming year in addition to summarizing its performance over 2016. The company held its 123rd annual meeting on February 22 to discuss.
“We were faced with the challenge of one of the largest Navel orange crops in history, and larger than normal harvests across many of the other varieties we handle,” said Sunkist President and CEO Russell Hanlin. “We responded well, moving an additional 3.5 million cartons into the fresh market generating revenue to support over $1 billion in member payments for the third time in the company’s history.”
Sunkist’s positive results align with the continued focus of the company’s board and leadership to advance the cooperative in order to best serve its membership. According to a press release, contributing factors to the company’s bolstered positive revenue streams included corporate leadership changes, aggressive sales strategies, and the advancement of Sunkist’s for-profit business. These same factors also position the organization well for future growth.
The company also set its 28-member Board of Directors for the upcoming year, re-electing Gerald Denni as the Chairman for Sunkist’s Board of Directors.
“Working hand in hand with management, the board is pleased with the way we managed a very large crop in 2016, but we are now keenly focused on current industry challenges and building a stronger Sunkist for the future,” said Denni.
Sunkist was founded in 1893, and serves as a cooperative of family farms for over 40 fresh citrus varieties. With thousands of grower members in both California and Arizona, the cooperative values traditional growing practices, the stewardship of a natural resources, and a dedication to innovation that is passed through generations.
As Sunkist continues to focus on its culture of family and collaboration of growers, stick with AndNowUKnow for all the latest innovations and commitments that the company has to offer.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Californians know first-hand that this season has been wetter than any in recent memory, but now the proof is in the numbers. New state surveys of the Sierra Nevada snowpack are nearing records set over three decades ago, sitting currently at about 185 percent of average.
Frank Gehrke, Chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program and conductor of the March 1 survey at Phillips shared, “It’s not the record, the record being 56.4 (inches), but still a pretty phenomenal snowpack…January and February came in with some really quite phenomenal atmospheric river storms, many of which were cold enough to really boost the snowpack.”
Readings done electronically at 98 key points across the 400-mile-long mountain range show that the March 1 snowpack held 45.5 inches of “surface water equivalent,” compared with a historical average of 24.6 inches, according to the state Department of Water Resources (DWR).
In a DWR release, State Climatologist Michael Anderson said the winter season has been “historic,” especially in the central and southern Sierra where elevations are higher and where snowfall has been near the 1983 record amount.
This is a prime place to be, Gehrke added, as April 1 levels are often used as key marker to predict how the snowpack might hold up past the end of the wet season.
"We've busted through April 1 values pretty much at all snow courses throughout the state," Gehrke explained.
The March 1st snow survey has a well above normal snow pack across the Sierra. The #snow is impressive even from a distance! #CAwx #cawater pic.twitter.com/zg1q7DwVcj
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) March 1, 2017
In total, the DWR reports precipitation levels since October first as follows:
- Northern California: 76.5 inches (average is 34.7)
- San Joaquin: 60.7 inches (average is 27.4)
- Tulare Basin: 41.0 inches (average is 19.4)
Collectively, the three regions had a total of 178.2 inches of rainfall, or 218 percent of the five-month average (81.5 inches).
The next report from the DWR will mark the much-awaited April measurements, so stay tuned for all the details.
WATSONVILLE, CA – This year’s Tour de Fresh participants will get a chance to ride with cycling royalty, as eight-time Tour de France rider, Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team Owner/Director, and Olympic Bronze Medalist Axel Merckx is set to join the peloton.
“I’m honored and excited to be a part of this year’s Tour de Fresh,” said Merckx. “The event’s dedication to ensuring the youth have healthy eating options is something that is extremely important to me and I’m looking forward to riding with everyone!”
This year’s event will feature more than 30 riders, including Merckx—who will ride at least one day during the three-day long ride. Tour de Fresh plans to raise at least $156,000 and donate more than 50 salad bars to U.S. schools this year, according to a press release.
Additionally, this year, sponsor and major supporter Locus Traxx will provide tracking devices for each rider that will allow viewers to see exactly where each rider is at any point throughout the event; this technological innovation will give donors and industry members real-time updates to support riders.
“Axel has been a huge asset to our cyclists as a mentor, and we’re thrilled to have him as part of our Tour de Fresh event this year,” said Anthony Gallino, Vice President of Sales for California Giant. “I know that this year is going to be our best year yet, as proven by the immediate response from so many of our friends within the industry to continue supporting the positive impact we are making in schools.”
Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Current confirmed sponsors for the event include: California Giant Berry Farms, Emerson/Locus Traxx Worldwide, Enza Zaden, Mission Produce, Sakata, Tanimura & Antle, Americold, AndNowUKnow, Baja Son, CHEP, Church Brothers, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Coosemans Worldwide, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, EBX Logistics, Fresh Point, Fresh Produce Partners, Fruit Growers Supply, Growers Express/Green Giant, Interfresh, Lipman, Ocean Mist Farms, Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Pajaro Valley Fresh, PMA, Pro*Act, Rherig Pacific Company, Renaissance Food Group, Specialty Produce, Tessemae’s, Watsonville Coast Produce, and Western Precooling.
For more information on this year’s Tour de Fresh, check out www.tourdefresh.com or contact Brock Nemecek at [email protected].
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Target looks to be firing up all brainstorms, having recently unveiled several new strategies to turn its sales around after releasing its Q4 and year-end report for 2016. Now the company is pushing even further with the announcement of a $7 billion investment plan, set to unfold over the next three years.
“We’re investing in our business with a long-term view of years and decades, not months and quarters,” said the retailer’s CEO Brian Cornell, according to a press release. The executive made the announcement with COO John Mulligan and CFO Cathy Smith as the company gave an overview of plans for Target’s future. “We’re putting digital first and evolving our stores, digital channels, and supply chain to work together as a smart network that delivers on everything guests love about Target, including more than a dozen new brands we’ll introduce over the next two years. We’re confident our strategy meets the challenges of today and will lead us well into the future.”
The breakdown kicks off with about $1 billion in annual operating profits beginning in 2017, with the overall goal of growing sales faster, gaining market share, adapting to guests’ rapidly-changing preferences, and giving more reasons to choose Target.
Details included:
- Enhancing Target’s digital experience
- Reimagining its more than 600 stores, including converting all back rooms into “hyperlocal distribution centers”
- Opening small format stores with the goal of more than 130 locations by 2019
- Offering competitive prices every day
- Introducing exclusive brands guest will love
With an emphasis on expanding digital tools and making operations easier for employees and guests alike, the retailer stated that it wants to accelerate its efforts in implementing technology and becoming more affordable for consumers.
It all begins this year, with 30 small format stores slated to open before 2017 is out. The retailer acknowledged that it will be a lot of work, but that its team is in it for the long haul.
Keep checking in with AndNowUKnow as we watch these and other big retail plans unfold.
OXNARD, CA – California has seen its share of weather over the course of the last month—with spring-like conditions punctuating some of the wettest weather in recent history. What does it all mean for strawberries, with growers making headway in the California season? I asked Cindy Jewell, Vice President of Marketing for California Giant Berry Farms, to fill us in.
“Strawberries seem to be hard to find right now,” Cindy says, noting that wet weather has delayed California Giant’s transition from production in Florida and Mexico to California. As of Thursday, February 23, Cindy noted: “Our growers have spent the last three or four days stripping off fruit, sending fruit of to the processor, and really just focusing on clean up.”
Waterlogged fields have prevented California Giant from harvesting fruit, but this week’s respite from wet weather, and warm, breezy weather on the horizon promise that supply will likely catch up to ample demand in the next month.
“Crews are in the fields focusing on clean up,” Cindy explains to me. “There’s plenty of green fruit and blossom, and with spring-like weather, light winds, temperatures in the 70s during the day and cool at night—fruit will come up really quickly with that kind of weather.”
Pricing and demand for California fruit has been increasing, and Cindy tells me she’s already fielding inquiries for fruit in April.
“Customers are already asking about Easter. We’re looking at getting back into regular harvesting in both Oxnard and Santa Maria next week, and by the week ending March 11, we’ll be getting into some pretty good numbers.”
In order to supplement production, California Giant has continued to harvest in Mexico and Florida, and Cindy tells me that the company has invested a lot of time, effort, and resources in providing good-sized, quality fruit as the climate in these regions becomes less conducive to growing.
With weather conditions becoming more amenable, strawberry aficionados can expect ample and exceptional California-grown fruit from California Giant in the next month. For more on the state of this and other produce markets, check in with us at AndNowUKnow.
LAKELAND, FL - After seeing three straight quarters of falling stock prices paired with rising sales under its new leadership, Publix has announced its first increase in both sales and stock prices after President and CEO Todd Jones took the reins. In Q4 of 2016 the company saw increases across the board, and reported an 11.1 percent increase over this quarter last year, along with a stock increase from $40.15 per share to $40.90 per share.
“I’m proud of our Publix associates — the owners of Publix — for continuing to make us a leader in our industry and providing a great shopping experience,” said Publix CEO & President Todd Jones, according to the company report.
Additional details from the report include:
- Net earnings for the fourth quarter of 2016 were $544.5 million, compared to $521.1 million in 2015, an increase of 4.5 percent. Earnings per share for the fourth quarter increased to $0.71 for 2016, up from $0.68 per share in 2015.
- Net earnings for 2016 were $2.03 billion, compared to $1.97 billion for 2015, an increase of 3.1 percent. Earnings per share increased to $2.63 for 2016, up from $2.54 per share in 2015. Net earnings and earnings per share benefited from the extra week in 2016.
- Publix’s sales for the fourth quarter of 2016, a 14-week period, were $9.1 billion, an 11.1 percent increase from last year’s $8.2 billion, a 13-week period. The additional week in the fourth quarter of 2016 increased sales by 7.4 percent. Comparable-store sales for the fourth quarter of 2016 increased 2.2 percent.
Effective March 1, 2017, Publix’s stock price increased from $40.15 per share to $40.90 per share. Publix stock is not publicly traded and is made available for sale only to current Publix associates and members of its Board of Directors.
Publix currently operates 1,143 stores nationwide with around 189,500 employees.
SALINAS, CA - If I could name a category of produce that I’ve truly seen grow and evolve over the past couple years, one of the first items that comes to mind is cauliflower. From crumbles, to grain substitutes, to the latest in pickling trends, this category seems to be getting its share of the limelight–and definitely my shopping list.
If you ask Ethan Stewart, Sales and Commodity Manager, for Steinbeck Country Produce he would agree.
As we move through the winter months, with spring affectionately marked on our calendars, I spoke with Ethan about the program at Steinbeck, and what we can look forward to as the company ramps up growth on this popular category. From traditional white to colored cauliflower, and a new crop of the unique cousin to cauliflower, romanesco, this company is creating a buzz in specialty produce and beyond.
“Steinbeck has translated generations of success with white cauliflower into specialty cauliflower, our vertically integrated operations have allowed us to fine-tune each variety from a growing, packing, and shipping perspective,” Ethan shared with me. “Our adaptability and knowledge of the brassica category have allowed the success of this program to really take off.”
In California, Steinbeck is anticipating another great run up to its season in Salinas. The colored flower program has grown significantly over the past five years and, as Ethan added, coming back to Salinas will mark a full calendar year in which the company has had commercial production of Romanesco.
And what is Romanesco you ask? Also referred to as Romanesco cauliflower and Romanesco broccoli, this veg is an edible bud of the species Brassica Oleracea, which includes cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi to name a few items. Romanesco is similar to cauliflower with a crunchy texture and nutty flavor that offers a versatile canvas for chefs and home cooks.
“We have tinkered with some logistics and practices to give the crop more consistency,” he said, adding that Steinbeck has tremendous supply on each variety and are looking for partners to grow this program with for the future. “With year-round production, we can offer a host of unique items that allow retailers and foodservice operators to differentiate from the norm.”
New this year, Steinbeck will be offering a clear UPC wrap designed for retail–showing the product well, and creating more opportunities to let the items speak for themselves when merchandised on a veg wall.
“We offer years and years of experience to deliver a high quality product in the colored cauliflower category and that experience has meant a shorter learning curve on the Romanesco...all of this in turn delivers a great product for our partners to utilize and enjoy,” Ethan said. “This is definitely a trend that is on the rise. With consumers looking for new and different food items, the colored flower and Romanesco offer a great way to add color and catch eyes in the produce department as well as add visual appeal to any plate.”
Looking to whet the consumer palate this year? So is Steinbeck Country Produce.