COLOMBIA – As the U.S. braces itself against heavy rainfall and fluctuating end of summer weather, Colombia has another sort of natural anomaly to respond to. On Tuesday night, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit the northern part of the country.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake struck shortly after 9 p.m. local time, and had a tremor depth of 10 miles. The quake, though scientifically shallow, was felt as far away as the nation’s capital in Bagota.
Express.co.uk reported that the earthquake lasted around 30 seconds, and then was followed by an intense aftershock.
Though the quake was the biggest experienced in Colombia for over a year, USA Today reported that Colombia’s natural disaster offices stated there were no immediate reports of any damage or casualties from the occurrence.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stated that the quake hit 83 miles north-northwest of Medellin, the second largest city in the country, and 24 miles from Mutata which houses around 4,800 people.
The ordeal caused the evaucation of 400 people in Medellin, according to Express.co.uk, in the immediate reaction to the natural disaster.
As Colombia thankfully emerges from the earthquake relatively unscathed, AndNowUKnow will keep an ear to the ground for any other impactful weather and geographical occurences in the industry.
TORONTO, ON - After nearly a lifetime of working for George Weston Limited, W. Galen Weston has announced he will be stepping down as Executive Chairman of George Weston Limited, retaining the role of Chairman Emeritus. His son, Galen G. Weston, will assume the role as Chairman while still retaining his responsibilities as Executive Chairman and President of the Loblaw Companies Limited branch.
"Following my own father's tradition of stepping down at the age of 75, I see this as a good time to create space for the next generation," shared W. Galen Weston upon the announcement. "I have absolute confidence in my son and the George Weston Limited board and leadership. I look forward to using my time to focus on the exciting opportunities ahead in our luxury business and some truly ground-breaking potential with our charitable foundation."
Following in his family's footsteps, W. Galen Weston assumed executive control of George Weston Limited from his father in 1974. During his over four decades serving as Chairman, Weston was at the helm of the introduction of such innovative brands and concepts as President's Choice, Joe Fresh, No Frills, and Real Canadian Superstore.
As outlined in a press release, the company was also able to create hundreds of thousands of jobs under Weston’s tenure, all while the Weston Foundation and the Weston Group of Companies together have worked to donate more than half a billion dollars to the benefit of Canadian communities.
Succeeding his father, Galen G. Weston is now the fourth generation of the family to oversee the brands. He has been Executive Chairman of Loblaw since 2006 and Deputy Chairman of George Weston Limited since March, 2016. W. Galen Weston's daughter, Alannah Weston, was appointed a Director on the Board earlier this year.
"Reaching a fourth generation represents unique longevity among family-led firms, and my father's success over four decades sets a high bar for the next generation of our business," explained Galen G. Weston. "We will benefit from the strong legacy traits of Weston companies, and my sister and I look forward to our father's continued guidance and support.”
As Galen G. Weston takes the reigns and leads the company into its next era of its business, AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the latest.
SALINAS, CA - As the company reaches the 25th anniversary of its Broccoli Cole Slaw®, Mann Packing is both taking a look at the history of the product, and looking forward with the introduction of newly redesigned packaging.
From the brain of Joe Nucci at the beginning of his career with Mann Packing, the idea of creating a healthy and unique value-added product using broccoli stalks was, at first, a way to use the part of the company’s product that would otherwise go to feed livestock. Nucci then joined forces with late industry legend David Stidolph to collaborate with expert chefs who coined the term “Hearts of Broccoli.”
Thus, Broccoli Cole Slaw was born, paving the way for other “vegetable-based” or more “nutrient-dense” salad blends such as Mann’s Power Blend and Rainbow Salad. Reflecting AC Nielsen sales data for the week ending April 2nd, 2016, Broccoli Cole Slaw is now sold in 92 percent of total U.S. retailers.
“To highlight the celebration of Mann’s Broccoli Cole Slaw, we’ve redesigned our packaging to reflect the 25th anniversary, and included Power Blend and Rainbow Salad in the redesign to create a Veggie Slaw destination in the value-added produce section,” explained Gina Nucci, Director of Corporate Marketing at Mann’s. “These complementary products are consumer favorites and allow for creativity and versatility in the kitchen; they go way beyond just a cold salad application. Our new packaging design calls out these multiple uses: TOSS – BOOST – SEASON.”
Through the end of the year, Mann’s is celebrating its anniversary by honoring both the history of the product and the creativity of those who cook with it. Opportunities over the next few months will include:
- A recipe contest
- A Girlfriends Guide
- Trade ads
- Newly designed packaging
- Declaring September Broccoli Cole Slaw month (#BrocSlaw25)
"We have achieved this milestone through customer loyalty, the hard work and dedication of our employees and the innovative culture of the company,” added Chairman & CEO, Lorri Koster. “All of us are driven by the entrepreneurial spirit of our founders. Ironically, at times we find ourselves having to procure just broccoli stalks – the byproduct has literally become the product.”
In a press release, Mann’s cites data from Nielsen (YTD ending 7/30/2016) that states the company provides the number one brand in the broccoli cole slaw segment, which accounts for 46 percent of the broccoli cole slaw volume sold at retail in the U.S. The company adds that Mann’s Broccoli Cole Slaw ranks as one of the top selling items in the fresh-cut vegetable category with 18 units per store per week, and that velocity is up 4 percent versus a year ago.
Koster continues, “The quarter of a century of success for this one item is a testament to our customers’ confidence in Mann’s, and to our culture of innovation. We can’t wait to show them what’s up next!”
As Mann Packing continues to celebrate its anniversary over the next few months, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow for even more!
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - The Western Growers Transportation Program (WGTP) is celebrating its tenth year in existence. C.H. Robinson and Western Growers Association honored the anniversary by hosting a food drive, culminating in a Giving Day held on August 24.
"It was a team effort, and I was blown away by the generosity of the participants," said Luke Gowdy, General Manager at C.H. Robinson. "Ultimately 250,000 meals were donated to those in need. Never in my career have I participated in something of that magnitude."
The idea, hatched by the Western Growers Transportation leadership team, was to demonstrate the power of their partnership through the massive food drive. In keeping with the produce focus of the program, growers were encouraged to donate to Feeding America—either through product or monetary donations. At the end of the day, participating growers and associations donated more than 240,000 pounds of produce, along with financial contributions. C.H. Robinson donated the transportation needed for the event. The donations went to Feeding America locations across the country.
“Thank you to the generous grower-shippers who donated product and monetary donations,” said Matt McInerney, Senior Executive President of Western Growers. “It is rewarding to see how these donations will impact local communities and bring fresh produce to those who may not have easy access to it.”
Rolling out the campaign, designing it, having dialogue with individual shippers, and the final execution required precise coordination by the WGTP, from concept to execution. And the overall success of the donation exemplifies the strength of the relationship between C.H. Robinson and the grower community at large.
"Not only were we able to deliver huge quantities of food, the quality of the food delivered exceeded expectations. Food banks generally received rejected product, and the food banks are very happy with what they are receiving, making this a very unique donation," Gowdy added in reflection of the event.
Since its inception, WGTP has been dedicated to enabling growers to focus on their core competencies: growing, harvesting, and packaging nutritious, fresh produce.
LYONS, GA - In an effort to take the healthy eating trend from fad to longstanding lifestyle, L.G. Herndon, Jr. Farms, Inc. is releasing a new line of packaged greens, SuperFit Greens. In an innovative twist for the company, SuperFit Greens offer the healthy traditional greens you’ve always loved, but now in a convenient new package.
Herndon Farms has been a leading force behind produce categories that include Vidalia onions, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, and bunch leafy greens for more than 30 years now. But as Owner Bo Herndon has seen the leafy greens category change in recent years, he foresaw a line of packaged greens that would engage consumers in a whole new way.
“Since we started the farm in the late 70s, we’ve always grown southern, cooking greens,” Bo explained. “With the rise of items like kale and with consumers looking for more convenience with their greens, we knew it was time to create the right brand for today’s consumers.”
The SuperFit Greens name was picked to inspire consumers to make healthy lifestyle choices when deciding on their food, according to a press release.
“Eat your greens’ isn’t a passing fad,” shared John Williams, Sales and Marketing Director for Herndon Farms. “Consumers are more health conscious and we want to support that with our products, to support Americans who are returning to a more nutrient-rich diet.”
This new greens line comes following the recent construction of a new state-of-the-art, 44,000-square-foot processing plant on the company’s farm in southeast Georgia. Designed to accommodate SuperFit Greens packaging, John said that freshness and shelf-life were deciding factors when choosing to build a facility for packing on-site. He said, “The entire process from harvest to packaging will occur at the farm. We’re very confident the quality of our product will stand out because of this.”
The new facility will keep in the tradition of keeping all of Herndon’s items Primus GFS certified, the company said. “Food safety is an extremely important part of what we do every day and our plans for our company’s future,” Bo continued. “We have a food safety team in place to help handle all the requirements an operation like ours requires.”
With innovative packaging, the SuperFit Greens website, social media channels, and direct marketing efforts, in tow, John said he is confident the new line will appeal to consumers. “We are focused on inspiring consumers through engagement, education, and with the high-quality of greens they will see offered under the SuperFit Greens brand,” he said.
Look out for the new SuperFit Green line beginning to ship from Lyons, Georgia this October, with the company’s website, SuperFitGreens.com, going live at the end of September.
LEVERKUSEN, GER & ST. LOUIS, MO – Third time is the charm for Bayer and Monsanto, as the companies announced today that they have finally signed their long-awaited definitive agreement to merge. Bayer will acquire Monsanto for $128 USD per share, an offer up $0.50 a share from its last. Combined with its debt acquisition in the company, Bayer will be purchasing Monsanto for $66 billion USD.
"We are pleased to announce the combination of our two great organizations. This represents a major step forward for our Crop Science business and reinforces Bayer’s leadership position as a global innovation driven Life Science company with leadership positions in its core segments, delivering substantial value to shareholders, our customers, employees, and society at large," said Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG.
The companies stated in a press release that the per share all-cash transaction is a 44 percent premium to shareholders, based on Monsanto’s closing share price as reported on the day before Bayer’s first written proposal on May 9, 2016. Combined with the debt which Bayer will also acquire through the deal, CNN is calling the agreement the biggest takeover of the year.
“Today’s announcement is a testament to everything we’ve achieved and the value that we have created for our stakeholders at Monsanto. We believe that this combination with Bayer represents the most compelling value for our shareowners, with the most certainty through the all-cash consideration,” said Hugh Grant, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Monsanto.
Bayer and Monsanto stated that the merger will benefit from Monsanto’s platforms for Seeds & Traits and Climate Corporation, with Bayer’s broad Crop Protection product line contributing to the comprehensive range that the deal will encompass. From the merger, stated the companies, growers “will benefit from a broad set of solutions to meet their current and future needs, including enhanced solutions in seed and traits, digital agriculture, and crop protection.”
As sources throughout the industry and beyond debate the impending merger and its impact, both Bayer and Monsanto asserted that the merger will create significant value with expected synergies from the companies to reach $1.5 billion USD after three years. The companies also intend to invest in innovation by allotting themselves a research and development budget of EUR 2.5 billion.
So what trials are in store now for the merger’s pending finalities? The merger deal, though signed in agreement between the companies, must now pass through international regulations in order for the deal to finalize.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Baumann stated Bayer would voluntarily file for the merger to be reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., and that he saw no hangups to come from a national security review. Grant stated, according to Reuters, that the companies will need to file in approximately 30 jurisdictions for the merger to clear.
The deal, should it be approved by regulators, is aimed to close at the end of next year. WSJ stated the companies acknowledged there is overlap between the two entities, which could create later challenges for passing regulations. Bayer agreed to pay Monsanto a $2 billion fee should the deal fall through.
Prior to the announcement that the deal had be signed, Monsanto's stock was flat and trading below the prospective offer price from Bayer. CNN stated that this could reflect investors doubts that the deal will go through.
Monsanto’s Board of Directors, Bayer’s Board of Management, along with Bayer’s Supervisory Board, all approved the agreement. At this time, there is no word on what the merged companies would be named.
Will international regulators approve the deal? Or will Bayer and Monsanto remain separate entities? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated as the story unfolds further.
CALIFORNIA - It seems that the NOAA has joined the ranks of those no longer expecting a La Niña winter. It has canceled its watch for the seasonal pattern that was in place the last several months.
Typically peaking between December and February, La Niña is associated with dry winter conditions that would deter any progress the West Coast might have made during the El Niño events of last winter.
As we reported previously, the Climate Prediction Center (CPC), a subsect of the National Weather Service, released a monthly forecast also predicting La Niña is no longer likely to occur, despite last month’s statement that La Niña conditions were favored to occur with a 55-60 percent chance.
Those have slipped down to the 40 percent level, according to The Weather Channel, leaving room for the possibility but removing any expectations.
In an interesting turn, the anomaly brewing off the West Coast, fondly known as The Blob, could be a contributing factor shielding California from La Niña conditions.
“These are really strong anomalies,” Art Miller, Head of the Ocean and Atmosphere section at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, told the San Diego Union Tribune. “They’re far larger and more persistent and spread out over larger areas than we think we’ve ever experienced.”
La Niña conditions brew when temperatures in the ocean cool, opposite of the warming brought on by El Niño. The Blob, as we’ve reported in the past, brings temperatures 2 to 3 degrees Celsius above average, which could be preventing La Niña conditions.
So what’s in store for us this winter? Despite predictions of much needed moisture from the Farmers Almanac, it is still too soon to tell.
“El Niño was a dud for Southern California rainfall, so maybe a wannabe or puny La Niña could deliver a much needed wet winter,” Bill Patzert, Climatologist with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said.
As we continue to look toward possible drought reprieve, and measures taken in its place, keep checking in with AndNowUKnow for all the latest in weather and other industry influencers.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In efforts to provide the organic industry with a valuable resource for American exporters and importers of organic industry members, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) has unveiled a new and enhanced International Organic Trade Resource Guide.
“Around the world, the desire for traceable, sustainably produced food is growing, and global demand for U.S. organic has never been stronger,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director. “One of OTA’s most important missions is to promote organic, and part of that mission is helping to connect U.S. farmers, ranchers, and businesses with international buyers that are eager to bring the USDA Organic seal to their market. The better the set of data that organic businesses have to work with, the better able they are to connect with those global buyers and to compete on the world market.”
The resource guide, accessible here, is an online resource available to the industry for free, and encompasses the most comprehensive and up-to-date market, policy, and trade information for global organic markets. According to a press release, the Guide includes in-depth information for 40 countries and 38 trade regions with the following:
- Key marketing and policy data for each region
- Latest data on a country’s organic regulations and standards
- Special requirements for imported organic products
- Certification information
- Contact connections for government agencies
The guide also hosts an interactive map that allows users to pick a country and quickly understand the growth and demand for its organic products, top retailers and brands, and consumer demographics in the respective markets.
The company stated that this information will allow exporters to strategize for success and compare high opportunities with consistent data points across different regions. This information will be beneficial to both businesses already participating in the international market, and those just beginning to enter.
“The complex task of understanding foreign government regulations, along with the challenges of obtaining accurate information about a non-U.S. market and the difficulties in locating and connecting with buyers, are all frequently cited as barriers to organic exports,” said Monique Marez, Director of International Trade for OTA. “The new Global Organic Trade Resource Guide equips U.S. businesses with a baseline for success.”
The new and enhanced guide will also contain specific pages for countries, which will expand on the following in addition to integrating relevant data and analysis from Euromonitor:
- Qualitative and quantitative market information
- Educational infographics
- Detailed and in-depth policy information
- Informative “Go to Market” reports
OTA stated that demand for the organic segment in the U.S. has grown, as shown through 2015 sales hitting a new record of $43.3 billion. U.S. organic exports in 2015 reached $3.2 billion, showing the growing organic international market as well.
The U.S. has organic equivalency arrangements with Canada, the E.U., Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and Switzerland, to allow organic products that are certified in one country to be labeled and sold as such in other countries without further inspections or authorizations, according to OTA; which could potentially impact the organic integrity of the products.
The upgrade for this resource was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program, and the department’s Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program.
OTA has worked since the mid-1990s to promote organic agricultural products in global markets, and to connect buyers and sellers. OTA’s membership represents around 85 percent of U.S. organic exports, according to the company, and offers its market promotion activities to the entire organic industry. Since 1999, OTA has been an official cooperator in USDA’s Market Access Program.
SALINAS, CA - With the market holding steady, and potential for a tight season upcoming, the spinach category is cultivating good volume and quality on the West Coast with a couple months left until region's transition.
As Brittany Trebino, Spinach Commodity Manager at Ippolito International, recently told me, the company is past its halfway point in the season with harvests occurring right on schedule.
“The Salinas season has been very good to us so far,” Brittany says of the company’s current program. “Our yields have been great, and right on track.”
Brittany says that weather this year has provided for the plentiful harvests, with only minimal mildew, which she says is typical of the Salinas season for the category. Industry wide, spinach saw slow growth initially due to mild weather, but has now picked up production to resume a normal schedule of harvesting dates.
“The market right now is ranging from $9.50-11.50, with good demand and movement,” Brittany tells me of the currently steady market. “With a lot of the East Coast growing regions and homegrown programs nearing a close, we can also expect to see a spike in demand as business moves back this way.”
Brittany says that the market could potentially tighten as these regions and programs wind down their production, opening up further supply opportunities for the category. Ippolito International expects its Salinas production to run through November.
Ippolito International is continuing its growth for the category with an increase in production planned for the year. “We are expecting about a 10-15% growth on our program from last year. From what I gather, it seems other shippers in the industry are experiencing moderate growth on spinach as well.”
The company is capitalizing on consumer demand and the blossoming segment by offering a variety of spinach packs such as wire bounds, RPCs, totes, and a value-added spinach program
Ippolito International is also shipping its spinach to Canada, with projections for this international demand to pick up as the region’s homegrown season will be winding down soon.
As spinach production prepares to shift regions across the nation, stick with AndNowUKnow for the latest on the state of the market.
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) against G K Produce Inc. According to a USDA press release, the Pennsylvania-based company allegedly failed to make payment to eight produce sellers in the amount of $548,441, from November 2013 through March 2014.
G K Produce Inc. will have an opportunity to request a hearing, and should USDA find that the firm committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry for two years. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for one year and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond. No principles were listed in the USDA release.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), PACA Division, regulates fair trading practices of produce companies operating subject to PACA, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry. Under PACA, all interstate traders in fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables must be licensed by USDA, which is authorized to suspend or revoke a trader’s license for violating the act.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,700 PACA claims involving more than $66 million. Its experts also assisted more than 7,100 callers with issues valued at approximately $100 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.