- Read more about Monday Morning, January 30th, 2017
- Log in to post comments
SANTIAGO, CHILE – Disastrous wildfires have swept through Chile recently, and Naturipe Farms is urging those in the produce industry to donate generously to curb fires and rebuild damaged agricultural sites. High temperatures, strong winds, and the effects of a prolonged drought have contributed to some of the worst fires in Chilean history; so far, over 385,000 acres of forest, covering 70 districts of Chile, have been destroyed.
The country’s President Michelle Bachelet and Agricultural Minister Carlos Furche have declared the situation a farming emergency, with crops and vineyards being destroyed. According to a Naturipe release, the environmental catastrophe is expected to have widespread and significant effects on farmers, growers, and possibly even service.
More than 100 wildfires have broken out in the past few weeks, and over half of these rapidly-spreading fires are still considered to be uncontrolled. Fires have damaged farms, livestock, vineyards, homes, buildings, and even an entire town, and are expected to continue to do so.
President Bachelet has called for international help to fight the unrelenting fires “never seen in the history of Chile.” Spain, Peru, Mexico, and the United States are among the many countries currently sending international aid.
A Boeing 747 “supertanker” from the United States has been helping quench fires in some regions—paid for by donations from the foundation of Lucy Ana Aviles, a Chilean who lives in Denver and is married to Walmart’s Benjamin Walton.
Naturipe Farms is encouraging the produce industry to stand together and send aid and salvation to those whose crops, farms, and livelihoods have been threatened or damaged by these out-of-control fires. Donations can be made through Desafio Levantemos Chiles, here.
We at AndNowUKnow will keep you appraised of developments in the situation as it progresses.
CALIFORNIA – Reaching out its long arm of nefarious influence, it seems as though the outlaw sect of society has made a brief appearance in the produce industry once again; this time with a specific target in mind. Thieves stole 538 hives from California properties, including almond farms, in a heist to set the industry abuzz.
Montana-based beekeeper and owner of Beeline Honey Co. Lloyd Cunniff was en route to an almond farm in Fresno when his 488 hives, and 190,000-plus bees, disappeared in the dead of night. According to the Great Falls Tribune, Cunniff had stopped in Sutter County for the night when the criminals crept in and made off with hundreds of thousands of dollars in both hives and equipment.
The theft occurred after Cunniff left the property, where he had been making sure the pallets were lined straight and properly for their night’s rest. While Cunniff was in a hotel in Yuba City, bee obsessive marauders loaded up their loot.
Sutter County Lieutenant Dan Buttler stated that these same thieves most likely stole another 50 pallets of beehives from another property in the same night, making their marked number a total of 538 hives pilfered. Buttler stated officials are working quickly to unmask the offenders as these are seasoned professionals.
“They have to know what they are doing,” Buttler said, elaborating that hives are hard to track as thieves swap out the stolen pallets and get rid of registration numbers in an elaborate operation.
As the bees were loaded on 122 pallets, Cunniff stated that the thieves would have required an inordinate amount of manpower and assistance; most likely a 2-ton semi-trailer, a forklift, and several trips.
Will the bee thieves bite again? AndNowUKnow will have the latest as the news blooms.
KINGSVILLE, ON - As one of the biggest consumption and marketing days of the year fast-approaches, SUNSET® is helping your shoppers prepare as football foodies look to offer the perfect game day menu.
What has Celebrity Chef Roger Mooking and the innovative company cooked up to feature for the occasion? Angel Sweet® Wok-Tossed Wings.
“Angel Sweet tomatoes have the perfect amount of juiciness, sugar content, and tang to be the base for this Wok-Tossed Wings recipe,” shared Mooking, according to a press release. “These wings are a simple and flavorful new staple for your game day party or for a delicious weeknight meal.”
In the words of SUNSET® you can learn to “walk the wok” in this how-to video with Roger himself as he shows that this tasty twist on the game day traditional wings isn’t as tough as you think.
Part of the previously reported Chef Inspired recipe series, see for yourself in the video below:
Described as a fun, flavorful recipe, this item is described as infusing unique flavors into every bite. This is just one of a number of game day ideas to inspire your shoppers in the produce aisle.
Check out SUNSET®’s all-star lineup of game day recipes at Inspired by Life.
- Read more about Friday Afternoon, January 27th, 2017
- Log in to post comments
SAN DIEGO, CA- The era of the conscious consumer is here, and Organics Unlimited is set to usher it in.
Last year was a big one for the organic banana grower, having undertaken a brand refresh designed to reflect its principled values to compassionate consumers, among other initiatives. So I touched base with President and CEO Mayra Velazquez de León to connect about how the company is moving forward and building its programs with those principles in mind.
“My family has been growing truly organic bananas for generations in Mexico. We are proud of the processes we have in place that allow customers to receive their orders on time with consistent, high quality,” Mayra explains. “Our customers say they value our organic bananas for a few reasons: we provide high-quality organic bananas, consistently and on time, using the most sustainable methods possible.”
In the recent brand refresh, Organics Unlimited aligned its new banana sticker slogans with the company’s core value of sustainability, while using the opportunity to talk directly to consumers. These messages include:
- Sustainability is the fruit of healthy communities
- Eco-friendly organic produce from our eco-family
- The most responsible banana you’ll ever meet
- Sustainable and ethically farmed from the ground up
“We understand the importance of sharing our values to help engage and inform those who eat our organic bananas,” Mayra shares. “The messages that consumers now see on the banana stickers share our values of cultivating communities and farming in a responsible, sustainable, and eco-friendly way.”
Promoting these values a step further, Organics Unlimited has put together a comprehensive retailer and distributor marketing program; with boxes that are specifically designed to use in displays, digital tools available through the company website, and updated point-of-purchase materials along with a multitude of sales sheets to give retailers the tools they need to boost the ring at the register.
With the glowing success of the banana category, Organics Unlimited has also ventured into organic plantains and coconuts, to great response. Mayra tells me that when adding acreage, the company doesn’t use previously cultivated land, choosing instead to build sustainable farms from the ground up. And, Mayra adds, carbon footprint and logistics are always considered when making these strategic decisions.
And, the company’s principled approach to business doesn’t stop with the Organics Unlimited brand.
“Because growing organic bananas has been a family business for generations, I’ve grown up visiting our farms in rural Mexico and the small farms of our partner growers," Mayra says. "I’ve known many of the workers and their families for years. Giving back to the communities near our farms has always been important to me.”
Enter the GROW Fund, a nonprofit program developed by Organics Unlimited in 2005. The fund allows the company to provide assistance to organizations such as Children International, Project Amigo, Environmental Health Coalition and others, in order to support the communities near its farms. Over the past decade, through retailer and distributor support, GROW organic banana purchases have raised over $2 million in aid for communities in Mexico and Ecuador. A percentage derived from the purchase of each box of GROW organic bananas is earmarked for the GROW Fund.
Retailers looking to answer the call for responsible produce can find more information at OrganicsUnlimited.com or look for the grower at the Organicology trade show in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday February 4, 2017.
PLANT CITY, FL – Wish Farms is challenging competitive strawberry pickers to bring their best to the fourth annual Strawberry Picking Challenge, presented by Florida Strawberry Growers Association, on February 10th and 11th.
“Our farm workers are the backbone of our industry,” said Gary Wishnatzki, owner of Wish Farms. “This event recognizes their hard work all while bringing the community together for a fun day at the farm.”
Being active in the community has always been a focus of Wish Farms and the Wishnatzki family. This unique charity event raises funds for the Redlands Christian Migrant Association and invites guests out to the farm for a day of strawberry picking and entertainment.
- What: 4th Annual Strawberry Picking Challenge presented by the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, to benefit RCMA
- Where: Fancy Farms, 3536 Futch Loop, Plant City, FL 33566
- When: Saturday, February 11th from 11 am to 3 pm
U-Pick Strawberries $5 per quart will be donated to RCMA. For more information visit the website.
The fundraising efforts kick off Friday evening with drinks, dinner and a live auction at the TPepin Hospitality Centre in Tampa. At the Strawberry Picking Challenge, the main event goes down when corporate sponsors bring their teams to battle it out in a strawberry picking relay-style race competing to win the title “Best Harvest Crew.” Saturday’s family-friendly event is free admission to the general public. Families can come out to enjoy live entertainment, fun activities, and delicious strawberries. An onsite BBQ lunch, fresh strawberry shortcake, and kid’s meals will be available for purchase.
"The Florida Strawberry industry owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to our farm workers and places a high priority on supporting the families and children in our community,” said Kenneth Parker, President of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association. “This provides a way to encourage and financially support these families through this special fundraising event."
Proceeds from the charity event will benefit the Redlands Christian Migrant Association; a Florida nonprofit that provides quality childcare and early education for children of migrant farm workers and rural low-income families. Over $228,000 has been donated to the cause in the past three years.
Sponsorship opportunities at various levels are still available. For details please contact Jesse Brock, Wish Farms’ Marketing Coordinator (813) 752-5111 or [email protected].
JAPAN - You’re welcome to look, but please don’t touch the fruit. One luxurious parlor in Tokyo, Japan, makes shopping for fresh produce look like buying high-priced works of art.
The Sembikiya fruit parlor specializes in selling high-end fruits that are often given as gifts in Japan on special occasions, according to news source Next Shark.
What exactly is on the ticket for this fruit emporium? There are less shocking items such as Persimmons ($10 each) and Sun Fuji Apples ($17 each), up to the jaw-dropping mangos and muskmelons, both of which go for about $237 each.
Also available are:
- Dekopon mandarins ($19 each)
- Oranges ($14 each)
- Avocados ($6.60 each)
As the price dictates, mangos and muskmelons are amongst the most valuable and precious, with the latter being grown in perfectly controlled greenhouse environments with the plants trimmed down to one melon per plant to ensure nutrients and sweetness.
This particular morsel’s tag in the parlor is a bargain, having gone for as much as $23,000 at auction.
Sembikiya is the picture of both class and classic Japanese roots. Run by the descendants of a samurai family since 1834, it began as a discount fruit store that was directed to focus on only luxury fruits by the wife of the second-generation owner.
Today you can pick out single items or a medley, with patrons directed to the waiting area where they are served cold beverages as their orders are gift wrapped for them.
As members of the produce industry, we can certainly appreciate these fruits getting the star treatment. Keep checking in with AndNowUKnow for all the prevalent and extravagant in fresh produce.
WELWYN GARDEN CITY, UK - One of Britain’s largest retailers, Tesco, surprised many industry insiders this week with a £3.7 billion ($4.6 billion USD) buyout of food supplier Booker.
"It's the next evolution of our strategy... We think it's the right time," Tesco CEO Dave Lewis told Reuters. "This merger with Booker will further enhance Tesco's growth prospects by creating the UK's leading food business with combined expertise in retail, wholesale, supply chain, and digital."
According to Reuters, the planned cash and shares takeover exhibits a renewed confidence, displayed by Tesco after two years of gradual recovery from an accounting scandal and loss of market share to discount rivals.
The pivot into foodservice also marks a change of gears and perhaps signals an increased focus on the company’s British business. Since Lewis assumed control of the company in September of 2014, Tesco has been steadily streamlining its operations, cutting costs and selling assets—including its $6.1 billion operation in South Korea.
The deal will give Tesco a greater share of Britain’s “out of home” food market—including cafes, restaurants, and “takeaways.” Tesco will gain exposure to 120,000 independent retailers, 107,000 small businesses, and 450,000 caterers that Booker serves, along with 200 cash and carry warehouses supplying franchise partners from the Budgens, Londis, and Family Shopper grocery chains.
Tesco and Booker’s representatives told Reuters that the buyout would lead to synergies of at least £200 million (approximately $251 million), and implementation is expected to cost £145 million (nearly $182 million).
According to the news source, the acquisition, expected to be completed in late-2017 or early-2018, could draw scrutiny from regulators. AndNowUKnow will keep you updated as the situation progresses.
PHARR, TX – As consumers look to spice up their winter tables with an assortment of high-quality fresh produce, London Fruit may have just the solution with its latest harvests of avocados, limes, and mangos.
As Project Manager Kalani Jaime recently told me, the company is supplementing its year-round supply of avocados and limes with an early start to its mango program.
“Our upcoming mango season looks to be excellent this year,” Kalani tells me of the company’s selections. “Our mango program will start with Ataulfos and Hadens, and then move to Tommy’s, Kents, and Keitts.”
London Fruit is currently shipping all of its product from Mexico. Kalani says the company is expecting Ataulfos to become available at the end of the month, while Hadens are set start in mid-February, hitting peak volumes in March. Tommy and Haden varieties will be available through July, Kents and Ataulfos through August, and Keitts through to September.
“We’re very excited about the early start to our mango season, and the crops look to have a very strong start,” adds Jerry Garcia, Sr., Vice President and Sales Manager. “Our customers are all looking forward to the season as well, as Mexican varieties of mangos are the perfect supplement to a year-round season.”
As part of its value-added services, London Fruit also repacks its products in a retail style package that tailors best to their customers needs. The company can pack its selections in clamshells, bags, or any other specialty packs to ensure that all the fruit receives a quality pack for both London Fruit customers and the end consumer.
“Along with our new ‘splash’ look across all of our fruit packages, this year we will also be introducing a yellow mango brand carton specifically for our sought-after Ataulfo variety,” Jerry tells me.
London Fruit offers its avocados and limes year-round to keep retailers shelves flush with high-quality offerings from Mexico. Kalani says that despite slight breaks in avocado availability, both avocados and limes will be in steady supply for the coming months.
As London Fruit continues to move through the current season and supply its customers with fruit to fill their needs, count on AndNowUKnow for the latest in winter and spring updates.