GRAND FORKS, ND - Black Gold Farms has kicked off the harvest of its red potatoes in Winamac, Indiana, just two miles south of Chicago.
The company is anticipating a strong yield with exceptional quality, stating that Mother Nature has “smiled on Indiana this summer.”
“We see the Indiana crop as the perfect fit to ensure that we have a year-round supply of Black Gold Farms grown quality red potatoes for our customers. The crop looks great, and we’re very excited to see this product on store shelves,” commented Nathan Libey, Winamac, IN, Farm Manager, in a recent press release.
With its focus turned exclusively to red potatoes for the fresh market, Black Gold Farms stated that it has customers anticipating Indiana-grown potatoes, including at least one retail chain who will be showcasing the company’s red potatoes with a locally-grown promotion.
Premier-quality Norland and Dark Red Norland varieties will be harvested from several hundred acres from the Winamac farm, expected to go from now until the end of August.
Black Gold Farms provides red potatoes grown on its own farms year-round, beginning in Texas, transitioning to North Carolina, Arkansas, and Missouri, and then circles back to the Red River Valley in North Dakota and Minnesota.
Nielsen FreshFacts report red potato sales consistently outperforming in the overall fresh potato category, according to the company, providing retailers 60%+ price-per-pound higher than Russets.
Continue to follow AndNowUKnow as we report on all transitions in the produce industry through the second half of 2016.
CAMBRIDGE, MA – With many forms of technology now promising to help alleviate the ag and environmental concerns of modern day, engineers at Harvard have developed a swarm of robotic bees to potentially answer pollination and climate mapping issues.
Inspired by the biology of an actual bee, researchers at Harvard’s Wyss Insitute have successfully created a series of independent flying RoboBees. These bee-like robots are only slightly larger than a penny, and are undergoing continuous development with end roles of ag and disaster relief in mind.
The most astonishing accomplishment of the RoboBee is not in its ability to dive and swim in water, but rather to hover in air. These hovering capabilities, according to Tech Insider, are the feature which would allow the RoboBees to pollinate crops and remove the pressure of that role from the current, and dwindling, population of honey bees.
The RoboBees achieve flight through artificial muscles that contract when voltage is applied through the bees its wired power source. Tech Insider reported that the bees are a major breakthrough in micro-areial vehicles, and other robotics which share its interests.
In addition to pollination, Harvard engineers have listed other possible uses for the RoboBee as the following:
- High-resolution weather and climate mapping
- Environmental monitoring
- Traffic monitoring
- Search and rescue missions, particularly after natural disasters
- Surveillance
The Wyss Institute stated that although the RoboBees could provide potential relief to the ag industry through artificial pollination, it would be a temporary solution for a preferred long-term natural solution, and requires the perfection of research that which could still be at least two decades away from completion.
To read more about the Wyss Institute's research and views on crop pollination, click here. Watch the video below to see the bee in action.
Could these RoboBees make an impact on the industry, and how soon will the industry be able to access the technology? AndNowUKnow will continue to update as the buzz unfolds.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The Produce Mom® will be spotlighting fresh produce this weekend, just in time for the back-to-school lunch rush. Lori Taylor, Owner and Founder of The Produce Mom, has announced that she will headline cooking shows in Williams-Sonoma stores in the Midwest with the Power Up with Produce Tour.
“The Produce Mom was honored to be Chadwick Boyd’s guest for his Midwest stops on the national Entertaining with Vegetables tour at Williams-Sonoma during the spring 2016,” said Taylor, who will be hosting the tour this Saturday, August 6, according to a press release. “It is thrilling to be invited back to Williams-Sonoma as a headliner and showcase the many ways we can power up recipes with produce.”
The show will promote several of those in the industry, including:
- Sage Fruit’s Skinny Apple Turnover recipe
- Wada Farm’s Easy Baker™ and Microwave in Bag™ microwavable potatoes
- NatureFresh™ Farms’ new snacking tomato, TOMZ™
“The Produce Mom continues to provide Wada Farms with ways to connect with consumers and unique promotional opportunities. We are thrilled to have our potatoes and sweet potatoes included in the Power Up with Produce Tour at Williams-Sonoma,” Eric Beck, Director of Marketing at Wada Farms, stated.
Debuting in Cincinnati, OH, the live cooking show will look to target college-bound teenagers to bring them to produce departments or campus convenience stores.
“Because back-to-school coincides with Washington apple season, we are always looking for ways to promote our fruit to students and households,” Kaci Komstadius, Social Media Director at Sage Fruit, said. “This is one of Sage Fruit’s first opportunities to target college-bound students; the Skinny Apple Turnover recipe is ideal for dorm room cooking.”
Free and open to all consumers, the event kicks off at 1 p.m. EDT, with more details available here. For those who can’t make it, and want to see how The Produce Mom looks to inspire teens, they can go to The Produce Mom’s Facebook page and watch the livestream of the entire event.
PHOENIX, AZ - After a second quarter of new stores in nine different states, Sprouts is continuing the push towards growth despite a deflationary retail environment, the company announced in its Q2 2016 this morning. With an already 243 stores in 13 states as of August 4, 2016, the company expects to open a total of 36 stores in 2016, representing a 17% increase in total store count.
“Sprouts’ healthy living for less business continues to resonate with customers as we grow coast to coast,” stated Amin Maredia, Chief Executive Officer of Sprouts. “Despite the deflationary environment, our team continues to produce solid comparable store sales growth through improved traffic of 3.5% and increased tonnage. We remain laser-focused on our strategic priorities to drive performance today while continuing to invest in team members, technology, and infrastructure for sustainable long-term growth.”
Sprouts has been tracking growth for the past two years, announcing in 2014 its intention to add 1,200 new locations in the next decade or so. Just in June, Sprouts reaffirmed this intention with the announcement that it is to hire upwards of 2,500 employees.
When asked on a conference call with investors what the chain’s plan was if its markets continue to get more competitive in fresh pricing, Maredia explained, “Customers are demanding more fresh product today, so it doesn’t surprise us to see competitors be more promotional in these areas. It’s a pretty competitive environment, but as an organization, we’ve had long-standing pricing promotional strategies to work with this.”
Maredia noted that despite the competitive market, Sprouts has seen market share gains due to other retailers struggling to find their footing. “The share gain in our minds is coming from these softer players who are not investing and not looking to trends, etc.,” Maredia continued. “With the likes of Aldi coming into Southern California, we’ve been watching them very carefully. They now have 13 stores within 13 miles of our stores and we’ve not seen any material impact. We have good strategies to deal with these competitors.”
Along with the focus on competition and growth, the company announced the following other highlights in its Q2 report:
- Net sales of $1.0 billion; a 14% increase from the same period in 2015
- Comparable store sales growth of 4.1% and two-year comparable store sales growth of 8.9%
- Net income of $37 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.25
- Net income increased 19% from the same period in 2015, and 6% from adjusted net income
- Diluted earnings per share increased 25% from the same period in 2015, and 14% from adjusted diluted earnings per share
Will Sprouts continue on its plan for new stores despite the increase in competition? AndNowUKnow will keep on feeding you updates as they come.
ROCHESTER, NY - Wegmans Food Markets may be making an even bigger splash in the increasingly competitive North Carolinian market soon—analysts suggest the retailer has been looking to go toe-to-toe with some of the nation’s largest grocery chains.
Wegmans announced its first store in the state in January, marking Cary, North Carolina, just outside of Raleigh, as its location. Since then, the chain has filed paperwork to obtain a second store in that area, and is working to open new stores in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Brooklyn, New York.
As explained by Retail Analyst and Managing Director of the Strategic Resource Group, Burt Flickinger, to the Democrat & Chronicle, a strong entry into North Carolina is just the first step. The decision could also mean Wegmans may delve even further into the Southeast.
"There is still a huge opportunity," he told the source. "Wegmans could double the current size of its corporate sales just by filling out the region between Virginia, the Carolinas, into Tennessee and Georgia and north Florida."
Bankruptcies by companies like A&P and Fairway have opened the window for growth oppotunites in the region, and Wegmans has confirmed that it is "considering multiple sites" in the Raleigh-Durham area. So far, no other details have emerged, according to the Democrat & Chronicle.
"Until there are firm deals for each site, we are unable to share the locations or other details," Wegmans' VP of Media Relations, Jo Natale, shared in a statement. "North Carolina is seeing continued growth, and we have been able to identify multiple sites in the Raleigh/Durham area that met all of our criteria."
Wegmans is know throughout retail circles as a high-quality and high-quantity grocer, with some stores carrying as many as 70,000 items. Where it is weaker to competition is through its prices, Flickinger told the Democrat & Chronicle.
"If that model continues, then Wegmans will be more vulnerable to companies like Kroger and ShopRite," Flickinger continued. "When Wegmans goes toe-to-toe with Tops, or toe-to-toe with Price Chopper, or toe-to-toe with Stop and Shop in New England, Wegmans compares very favorably with very low prices."
Kroger currently operates 160 stores in the state, while competitor Publix has 14 stores presently, with 20 more on the way through 2017.
Is Wegmans ready to take on the area's retail giants? Find out with AndNowUKnow as we continue to report on the details.
SOUTHERN MEXICO - Tropical Storm Earl has strengthened and was declared a hurricane yesterday afternoon, triggering warnings in several parts of southern Mexico.
As we reported earlier this week, Earl has been moving from just southwest of Jamaica, and westward over the Caribbean as the week progresses, according to AccuWeather, continually getting stronger and bringing heavy rains, strong winds, and flooding.
While it was originally predicted that Earl wouldn’t grow to become a hurricane, the Weather Channel reported that it was elevated to a Category 1 yesterday, August 3, off the Honduran coast, and should landfall in Belize today.
Currently, hurricane warnings are in place up to Punta Allen, Mexico, though Cancun and Cozumel are excluded.
Earl is expected to continue through to eastern Mexico this weekend, but “rain itself out” there, according to the report, having already brought 8-12 inches of rain to the following areas:
- Belize
- Honduras
- Guatemala
- Southern Mexico, including the Yucatan Peninsula
While Earl is looking to keep away from the U.S., its effects may be felt in parts of South Texas this weekend. Some increases rain and higher surf could be seen this weekend as far north as Galveston, TX.
AndNowUKnow will continue to follow and report on the pattern, and any possible influence it could have on the produce industry.
LADERA RANCH, CA – Growth across the melon category is ramping up, and with the consumer’s desire for more flavor-forward fruit, Dulcinea is showcasing one of its many fruit offerings, the PureHeart® mini-seedless watermelons.
Josh Leichter, General Manager at Pacific Trellis Fruit, Parent Company of Dulcinea, joined me to discuss this popular variety in produce departments, and how PureHeart® can help retailers increase the ring at the register.
“PureHeart® mini watermelons are a positive sales contributor to the melon category,” Josh tells me. “We address the demand of both the organic and conventional shopper with this program, who seek variety on their shopping lists as well as great flavor and quality.”
Josh also recommends that retailers promote the company’s Tuscan-Style™ Cantaloupes as well as SunnyGold® yellow flesh mini melons to provide incremental sales in the melon category.
On nearly a year-round supply schedule, PureHeart® watermelons are currently being grown in Huron, California, and are in the middle of summer harvest. Volumes tend to subside for the winter months of December, January, and February, so now is the time to get on board with the program.
PureHeart® melons are known for their sweet, consistent flavor and aroma, Josh adds, and are conveniently sized and packed full of vitamins A and C. The variety also presents a gorgeous bright red color, and are hand-picked fresh off the vine.
“Quality has been good, as has demand,” he says. “We are currently transitioning field areas which is providing for lower harvest volumes last week and this week, but in general we have good promotable weekly volumes through the summer.”
Pacific Trellis Fruit is a top year-round grower, packer and marketer of premium fresh fruits that include apples, apricots, Asian pears, kiwi, nectarines, peaches, pears, table grapes, and tropical fruits like avocados and mangoes. In 2014, Pacific Trellis grew to include the Dulcinea Farms division which now allows Pacific Trellis to offer cantaloupes, honeydew melons, tomatoes, and watermelons.
ORLANDO, FL - After two successful years, Produce for Kids is launching its third annual Power Your Lunchbox Pledge® campaign. The program encourages families across the nation to pledge to eat a healthier lunch from August 8 through September 23. The pledges can be made at PowerYourLunchbox.com, just in time for the start of the new school year.
“Back to school is a great time for families to make a healthy resolution they can carry on through the duration of the school year,” said Trish James, Vice President of Produce for Kids, according to a press release. “As a mom of two boys, I understand the challenges parents face when packing a healthy, nutritious lunch for their children and for themselves. The Power Your Lunchbox Pledge was designed to help families tackle this universal challenge.”
During the campaign, Produce for Kids will be generating a healthy lunch buzz by giving away a Bentology™ bento box each day and hosting a #PowerYourLunchbox Twitter party. Additionally, for every online pledge, lunchbox-friendly companies supporting Power Your Lunchbox Pledge will make a collective $1 donation to Feeding America® programs that support families and children. Partners supporting Power Your Lunchbox Pledge 2016 include:
- Avocados from Mexico
- Bee Sweet Citrus
- Crispy Green®
- Eat Smart®
- Earthbound Farm®
- GROW Bananas by Organics Unlimited
- Marie’s® Dressings
- Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice
- NatureFresh™
- Pero Family Farms®
- Sun World®
- Bentology™
Here are a few ways to get involved in the campaign:
- Take the pledge
- Pledge to eat healthier this school year at PowerYourLunchbox.com
- Show off healthy lunchboxes on social media
- Produce for Kids’ Instagram and Twitter followers can use the #PowerYourLunchbox hashtag to show off their healthy lunchboxes to have their lunchboxes featured on the Produce for Kids Facebook page
- Follow along on the hashtag to see great ideas from fellow parents
- Party with Produce for Kids on Twitter
- Parents looking for even more tips and resources for healthy lunchboxes are invited to join Produce for Kids and partner companies at the #PowerYourLunchbox Twitter party at 9 pm ET on August 17
Teachers and dietitians supporting the initiative can find their own dedicated resources on the website. Teachers can find fun, free nutrition-focused downloadable lesson plans, certificates for their students, take home materials for families, and classroom pledging materials. For dietitians “We Heart RDs” kits will be sent out with items such as pledge sheets, “I Pledged” stickers, lunchbox recipes, and more.
“Retail dietitians are in a position where they can support families during the back-to-school timeframe while they are in the store making decisions,” said James, according to the release. “It made sense to bring the Power Your Lunchbox message to our more than 300 retail dietitians so that they can share healthy back-to-school recipes with shoppers.”
As we previously reported, the campaign has raised more than $15,000 for kid’s health and wellness programs across the country since 2014.
For more information visit poweryourlunchbox.com.
LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, CA – The Allen Lund Company (ALC) is promoting Jim Scazzero to Manager of its Atlanta office. Jim has been with the ALC since 1991. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a degree in finance, Jim was promoted to Assistant Manager in 2001, and promoted to Manager in 2016.
"I am delighted to become the third manager in the 38-year history of the Atlanta office. I have many to thank for guidance through 25 years as part of the Allen Lund Company family, especially Steve Asip," commented Jim Scazzero, according to a press release. "I'm looking forward to this next chapter alongside an exceptional staff we have developed in Atlanta, and continuing our legacy of service, integrity, and family."
"Jim has been a dedicated employee for a long time and it makes us very happy to see him rise up to the level of manager which is well earned. He's a great friend and I'm really happy for him and his family," stated Eddie Lund, VP of Sales & Branch Operations.
This announcement comes amidst the ALC’s initiative to perform 40 Acts of Kindness in commemoration of it’s 40 years in business by the end of 2016. The initiative began in February of this year, starting with a Build A Bike event in San Diego, California, in partnership with Team Bonding to benefit the Boys and Girls Club.
Congratulations and best of luck to you in your new position, Jim!
WENATCHEE, WA - Scott McDougall of McDougall & Sons, a Co-Owner of CMI, has been named U.S. Apple Grower of the Year for 2016 by American Fruit Grower magazine.
Each year the magazine recognizes a U.S. grower that exemplifies progressive leadership in the fruit industry. According to the magazine, McDougall was selected based on his family's “bold approach” to investing the development of high flavor, new variety apples.
Bob Mast, President of CMI, explained that Scott McDougall is unquestionably deserving of the title, Apple Grower of the Year. “Scott and his brother Stuart had a clear vision that American consumers were hungry for new varieties of great tasting apples,” said Mast. “They staked the future of the success of their orchard operations on finding the most progressive direction to take for future plantings and it’s been a huge success for them as well as the entire CMI organization. We couldn’t be happier for Scott and the entire McDougall family.”
Scott and his brother Stuart are the owners of McDougall & Sons, an apple, pear, and cherry growing and packing company formed over 40 years ago with their late father, Bob McDougall. Today the company is known for developing the Ambrosia™ apple in the United States as well as being early adopters in planting Jazz™, Envy™, and Pacific Rose™ varieties. With over 4,000 acres of conventional and organic apples, pears, and cherries, McDougall & Sons provides packing and storage services for approximately 100 local growers, according to a press release.
Mast added, “Ambrosia™ has become a best-seller in the U.S., largely because of the vision of Scott and Stuart McDougall as well as their expertise in the orchard and warehouse.” Scott will be formally presented with the Apple Grower of the Year award later this month at the U.S. Apple Association annual outlook conference in Chicago.
Congratulations to Scott for a year of award-winning apple growing!