LEAMINGTON, ON - Have you been on pure-flavor.com lately? If you haven’t, reach for that address bar and get ready to experience the vibrant, modern display for yourself. Pure Flavor® has officially-launched its new website design, creating a seamless viewing experience, and allowing visitors to easily access company and product information along with educational tools.
“We’re at a very exciting point with the company’s brand,” said Sarah Pau, Director of Marketing of Pure Flavor®. “The new website is the next stage to rebranding our company’s image, alongside new packaging and advertisements.”
Designed with a user-friendly and consumer-focused interface in mind, Pure Flavor®’s new website allows users to learn more about greenhouse growing practices through interactive features such as:
- Infographics
- Micro-videos
- Engaging media
- Cooking inspiration
- Applications for all products
"We want our customers to understand the methods and practices that we use so they are knowledgeable of not only what we grow, but also where it’s grown, how it’s grown, and why it’s grown in a certain way," explained Matt Mastronardi, Chief Marketing Officer of Pure Flavor®. "This is the foundation for a healthy relationship between us and our consumers, growers and buyers."
When AndNowUKnow spoke to Sarah about the new website earlier this year, she told us the new website recognizes the importance of staying in the know, through blog posts and news updates, allowing users to leave with a thorough understanding and satisfaction.
But why take our word for it? Check out www.pure-flavor.com here!
LOS ANGELES, CA – Looking to bring the mango department even further into the forefront of consumer passion, the Giumarra Companies has announced the start of its third season of its exclusive Calypso® Mango variety.
“We are excited to bring the concept of Australia’s ‘juicy little secret’ to market with this distinct, flavorful mango,” said Craig Uchizono, V.P. Southern Hemisphere for the Giumarra Companies. “The Calypso® Mango has fiber-free flesh and a smaller seed, so there is more fruit for consumers to enjoy in every mango.”
Also known as the B74 variety, Giumarra Southern Hemisphere is bringing its first shipments to the U.S. on December 17 through its partnership with Perfection Fresh Australia. According to a press release, the mango is cultivated in far north Queensland, Australia.
The Calypso® Mango is coveted by consumers and retailers for its notable pink to red blush, and warm yellow background when ripe. The variety’s flavor also differentiates it in the produce department for its firm and smooth texture, and sweet and creamy taste.
“Once consumers taste the Calypso® Mango, we believe it will become something they ask for by name, especially given its exciting Australian background, limited availability, and great flavor,” stated Kellee Harris, Western Region Business Manager for Giumarra.
Calypso® Mangos are sold in single layer cartons ranging from 11 to 14 count, and will be available through the end of January 2017. The mango variety can be used in a multitude of uses, from fresh consumption to crafted dishes.
To help consumers get excited about Calypso® Mango, Giumarra is offering its customers a wide selection of POS materials and recipes to boost sales.
Looking for more Calypso® Mango? Keep your eye on The Snack for an exclusive, in-depth look at all this unique variety has to offer.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - On the heels of self-driving vehicles, drone delivery services, and more, Google parent Alphabet is looking to push itself even further in the transport industry with its latest project: ride-sharing.
And it wants it to be done in semi-autonomous vehicles.
Having separated the project into a new Alphabet holding company, called Waymo according to Bloomberg Technology, the company said that the next step is “to let people use our vehicles to do everyday things like run errands, commute to work, or get safely home after a night on the town.”
The service is in partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles North America–specifically minivans–trying its self-driving technology, possibly by this time next year.
Sources that wished to remain anonymous but are close to the matter told Bloomberg that Google will deploy a semi-autonomous version of the Chrysler Pacifica minivan that it’s developing with the Italian-American carmaker as early as end of 2017.
“FCA has been a wonderful partner,” CEO of Waymo John Krafcik, stated at a recent San Francisco event. The only other progress the executive made on the developing program was that the company is currently adding new sensors to Chrysler vehicles.
This is the third Uber-like launch from the Internet and tech giant. As we have previously reported, Alphabet has launched a self-driving truck venture, gathering great minds of the Silicon Valley from companies like Apple, Tesla, Cruise Automation, and others. Google is also looking to put on the market its own self-driving car, as our sister publication The Snack Magazine reported.
For the latest project, those close to the matter told Bloomberg that Google will need more than the 100 Pacificas it agreed to develop with Fiat Chrysler in May. Currently, it has announced plans to create about 100 prototypes based on the Chrysler Pacifica hybrid-powered minivan for Google to test its self-driving technology.
Who will win this cutting-edge race to bring us into the next chapter of transportation and, eventually, a more efficient way to transfer people and produce alike?
On your marks, get set, go!
LORAIN, OH - Meijer is expanding its presence in Northeast Ohio with five new superstores. Over the next two to three years, the chain plans to add new Ohio locations in Lorain County, Avon, Bainbridge, Mentor, and Stow.
"Lorain looks like a perfect location as part of our push into Northeast Ohio and the Cleveland area," said Meijer Senior Director of Communications Frank Guglielmi, according to source Cleveland.com. "Now, the closest Meijer stores to Cleveland are in Sandusky and Mansfield. We would like to change that with the sites we have either purchased or put under contract.”
The Avon, Mentor, and Stow locations are slated to open first, in 2019, with the Lorain and Bainbridge stores following in 2020. The company currently has the strongest presence in Michigan, with 100 stores on the map. These new locations would give Ohio the second strongest presence, bringing the state’s store count up to 42.
"Lorain is very pleased to have a new Meijer store come to our city," said Lorain Mayor Chase Ritenauer, according to the the source. "Meijer is a great company and they are expected to employ hundreds of people in higher paying jobs to our city."
Meijer stores are typically divided in half between food and merchandise, and run approximately 190,000-square-feet. The new stores in Northeast Ohio are expected to offer a bakery, a butcher, a seafood counter, and a pharmacy.
This news comes on the heels of the appointment of new CEO Rick Keyes in early December.
As the retail chain expansion continues, AndNowUKnow will be on the trail.
VALENCIA, CA - With excellent quality, flavorful fruit, Sunkist’s Navel orange season has commenced. The company predicts strong performance in both the domestic and export market this season.
“Navel oranges are the quintessential orange,” said Joan Wickham, Director of Communications. “With its iconic balance of sweet and tart flavors and deep ties to the holiday season, the Navel orange is sure to catch the eye of consumers this December and beyond.”
And retailers looking for a sustained supply of the staple fruit beyond the time for stocking-stuffers can take heart; the company’s Navels are available through June of next year.
Sunkist’s holiday-themed packaging and vibrant display units can help retailers catch shoppers’ attention and encourage purchase with educational facts and usage information. And retailers courting more adventurous-eating consumers can take advantage of the company’s especially robust Cara Cara crop.
“Our Cara Cara Navel season is just beginning, and we are looking forward to a very strong crop this year,” said Joan. “Nutrient rich, beautiful in color, and deliciously sweet—this variety holds tremendous promise for growth as consumers become more familiar with its delicious flavor and health benefits.”
Because Cara Caras Navels are orange on the outside, but contain extraordinarily sweet, pink flesh, consumers may mistake them for other Navel varieties: “Since Caras look like Navels on the outside, it’s important that retailers educate consumers about the differences that make this variety unique–its incredibly sweet flavor and nutrition profile,” Joan added.
Sunkist offers point-of-sales materials, including customizable display bins, to help retailers educate consumers on the unique merits of the Cara Cara.
PLANT CITY, FL - With a strong strawberry market leading us from fall into winter this year, Florida strawberries will be a welcomed addition to the country’s supplies as we look to the New Year. As berries across the board continue to see growth in demand across demographics, Wish Farms is ramping up its Florida season to meet the holiday push all the way through Valentine’s Day.
Owner Gary Wishnatzki stepped out of the field for a few moments to share the latest on the Florida strawberry season with me, and what we can expect as we move into 2017.
“We began harvesting in early November with both conventional and organic production which will continue to increase as we make our way toward the New Year. Our team shipped about 65,000 crates out of Florida last week, and are looking to ship about 120,000 crates in the coming week,” Gary said, noting that weather has been great so far this season bringing on great flavor and quality. “We’ve had a warm fall this year, but nothing like last year. The cold temperatures have been much more frequent this Florida season, than in 2015. At this time last year, we were not seeing blooms coming out until nearly January.”
Last year, the plants were not as productive for Wish Farms, due to the consistently warmer temperatures for that time of year, causing many of the plants to slow production or shut down, Gary adds.
“Strawberries need some chill to keep them in a productive cycle to stimulate plant growth and put on flowers,” he shared.
While Wish Farms is shipping mainly out of Florida, they are also still harvesting organic strawberries in Santa Maria, California. Organics have been a huge area of growth for Wish Farms, as the team continues to identify opportunities to grow its acreage and respond to the rising retail and consumer demand. Currently, about 10% of Wish Farms’ strawberry program is organic, but continues to increase year-over-year.
The Florida fresh season will be running full steam ahead into March and April, with the first push coming on in late December and into January. Production is slated to ramp up again in early February and into March, with a peak just in time for Valentine’s Day.
“Our big push is mid- to late-February for Valentine’s Day promotions. Retailers should plan ahead this year and create big displays around both Florida and California strawberries to increase traffic through the produce department and drive sales in the lead up to the popular holiday,” Gary shared.
It looks to be a sweet start to 2017 for strawberries lovers, and produce departments across the U.S.
COLIMA, MEXICO - The Colima Volcano, one of Mexico’s more active volcanoes, and reportedly referred to as the “volcano of fire,” put its region on alert with four major eruptions toward the end of last week, as well as continued exaltations yesterday and today.
430 miles west of highly-populated and travel-centric Mexico City, the 12,533-foot volcano’s activity spurred authorities to evacuate hundreds from Colima and nearby Jalisco, according to The Daily Mail.
Initial activity began last week, with lava spewing from the volcano on Friday. According to news source El Universal, National Coordinator of Civil Protection, Luis Felipe Puente, reported that exaltations last night with medium ash were spewing as high as 1,800 meters, or just over 1 mile.
Activity has continued into this morning with lower ash content, launching as high as 2,000 meters, or just over 1.2 miles, above the peak.
While still on alert with the areas cleared of locals, including an exclusion zone of about seven miles in Colima and five miles in Jalisco, these are not near the activity seen Friday as balls of fire, smoke, and ash shot into the sky.
Wedged between Jalisco and Michoacán, noted produce in Colima are bananas and tropical fruits, amongst other agriculture. While it does have its own airport about 9 hours from Mexico City, it was not reported if air traffic was shut down due to the volcanic activity.
AndNowUKnow will continue to report any developments on the situation.
AUSTIN, TX - As reported by the Austin American Statesman, as Whole Foods continues its uphill battle against its organic retail competition, the company has gotten some less than favorable news from stock exchange giant Nasdaq. The New York-based financial institution has announced plans to drop Whole Foods from its Nasdaq-100 index.
As explained on its website, the Nasdaq-100 is a list of 100 of the largest domestic and international non-financial companies listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. Since 2013, Whole Foods’ market cap has declined from more than $22 billion, to sitting around $9.9 billion currently, Yahoo Finance reports.
“We remain focused on our plan to position the company for continued success,” Whole Foods stated, according to The Austin American Statesman. “We believe we have the right strategies in place to position the company to produce strong results and returns for our shareholders over the long term.”
Why has the company's market cap been falling over the last few years? Analysts mainly cite increased competition from other organic and healthy-focused retailers, especially with newer and oft times cheaper combatants like Aldi and Lidl taking the stage.
The company’s fourth quarter financial report ended September 25 revealed that total sales increased to a record $3.5 billion with earnings per share at 28 cents. However, Reuters analysts had projected an earnings per share of 24 cents.
According to Nasdaq, the Nasdaq-100 index is re-ranked each December. This year, as a result of the re-ranking, four companies will drop off effective December 19:
- Whole Foods
- Bed Bath & Beyond
- NetApp Inc.
- Stericycle Inc.
Being added to the index are:
- Cintas Corporation
- Hasbro Inc.
- Hologic Inc.
- KLA-Tencor Corporation
With an entire year to once again ramp up its share value and market cap, will we see Whole Foods make another appearance on the coveted list? AndNowUKnow will keep bringing you the latest.
MAZATLÁN, SINOLOA, MEX - Former President of the Mexican Association of Protected Horticulture (AMHPAC) César Campaña Acosta passed away this week. He was known as a visionary leader with over 20 years of experience in the agricultural industry.
An accomplished grower, Campaña Acosta was born and bred into the industry. He and his brother Francisco were the third generation to oversee Agricola Campaña, a producer and exporter of grains and vegetables, according to a press release from Eleven River Growers.
Campaña Acosta was passionate about growing and committed to the positive impact the industry could have.
“Agriculture is a way of life,” the veteran grower said, according to news source El Debate. “It’s a noble activity; it’s to provide food for humanity.”
The industry veteran had recently been named President of the Commission for Research and Defense of Vegetables (CIDH) and had previously served as President of AMHPAC, in addition to being an active member of the Farmers Association in Culiacan (AARC), the Confederation of Agricultural Associations of the State of Sinaloa (CAADES), and Eleven River Growers.
Campaña Acosta passed away on December 12.
We at AndNowUKnow would like to offer our deepest condolences to Campaña Acosta’s family, friends, and the many affected by his passing.
LEVERKUSEN, GER – Moving one step closer to merging Monsanto’s operations with its own, Bayer has announced that the Monsanto shareholders have approved the impending move. The companies have been working toward this update since the merger was announced in September.
"The acquisition of Monsanto is driven by our strong belief that this combination can help address the growing challenges facing farmers and the overall agriculture industry today and in the future," said Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG. "Together, Bayer and Monsanto will be able to offer the new, innovative solutions that our customers need. We look forward to completing the transaction and working closely with Monsanto to ensure a successful integration."
Monsanto held a special meeting of shareholders today to discuss the company’s merger with Bayer. According to a press release, around 99 percent of all votes cast were in favor of the merger. This number, in a preliminary tabulation, represented around 75 percent of all outstanding shares as of November 7.
Monsanto shareowners will receive $128 per share in cash at the merger’s close. The shareholders also approved the proposal to approve on an advisory basis certain compensation that may be paid or become payable to the company’s named executives in connection with the merger.
"We are pleased we received such strong support from our shareowners," said Hugh Grant, Monsanto Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "This is an important milestone as we work to combine our two complementary companies and deliver on our shared vision for the future of agriculture. By bringing together our expertise and our resources to drive this shared vision, we can do even more together to benefit growers around the world and to help address broad global challenges like climate change and food scarcity."
The final voting results of Monsanto’s shareholders on all covered agenda items will be filed with the SEC in the company’s Form 8-K, in addition to being available for viewing here.
Bayer and Monsanto’s closure is still subject to customary closing conditions, including the necessary securement of required regulatory approvals. Bayer, with Monsanto’s support, has submitted a number of filings, including the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Act filing.
The merger is expected to close by the end of 2017.
As the two companies move ever-closer to combined entity, AndNowUKnow will have the latest news as it unfolds.