SACRAMENTO, CA - Tradition is a signature of our industry, married with innovation to tie the past and the future together. Last week, Greene and Hemly Company, held its 49th Annual barbecue to celebrate both that successful growing history and to showcase an innovative offering for the future.
“We are happy to highlight our longtime pear and apple grower, Mr. Doug Hemly of Greene and Hemly Company, and his family that are all very active in the business,” Atomic Torosian of Crown Jewels tells me as we enjoy the company of members of the industry tied to the sixth generation treefruit growers. As for what we were sipping on as we discussed the tradition of the gathering, “The family has started a new venture, hard pear cider called ‘Hemly Cider,’ headed up by their daughter-in-law, Sarah Hemly.”
The first thing I noted as Sarah shared the cider with me was the taste difference between the drier cider, which struck me more as a white wine, and the sweeter cider--one for cider fans and ones who might not know they are yet. The second was the rising trend in fresh produce mixing with adult beverages, offering another fun avenue for the industry that also delivers an option for fruit that might otherwise not make it to the shelf.
“You are looking for the same flavor in a pear for both market and for cider, but they might not look the same so this is a great way to save that food,” Sarah smiles as she tells me about the process of choosing pears for Hemly Cider.
It's a creative development to add to a the branch of a very deeply rooted grower family and partner, Atomic says. “Doug and his wife, Cathy, their daughter Virginia Hemly-Chabra, and their son Matt Hemly [Sarah’s husband], have been our growers for more than 20 years. Their family descendants have been growing pears since the 1850s on the banks of the Sacramento River in the area of Courtland, California,” he explains.
By that river, at the home and groves of the family, was a beautiful setting for the event of people celebrating both the company and the industry history.
Greene and Hemly provides not only pears, but also have a full program of California apples, including Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn and Pink Lady apples, some of which also make it into the cider.
Crown Jewels currently plans to start Stark Crimson Red Pears the first week of July and Bartlett pears on July 5th. After that, Atomic says, the company will get Golden Bosc pears under way the week of July 25th. Gala apples will be packed the last week of July, Granny Smith apples in late August, then Braeburn and Fuji apples in early September, finishing up with Pink Lady apples in early October.
As for its melon program, Crown Jewels’ California Cantaloupe and Honeydew program out of Mendota, California, kicks off the week of July 4th with volume kicking in by the week of July 18th.
“We will run with both commodities all summer long under the “Crown Jewels” label and finish up mid October,” Atomic says, adding that demand has been very steady on Cantaloupes and Honeydews from Mexico and the desert areas.
CINCINNATI, OH – As the company continues its strategic moves towards providing its customers with easier accessibility to grocery and produce, Kroger has announced that more stores in both Texas and Ohio will now offer its ClickList online shopping service.
In Texas, Kroger intends to renovate 18 stores to now include the service, and expects operations to be complete as soon as this fall. Renovations to the stores will include added parking signs, knocking out walls for ClickList doors, and installing refrigeration and freezer units.
"We're confident about investing in the service. The customer has been telling us they are very interested," said Kelly Carroll, Head of ClickList in North Texas, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Kroger announced earlier this year that it intended to expand the service in the Dallas and Houston area, but waited to announce the list until it had found locations which could service the needs of the ClickList service. Locations were selected based on their size, and how much its customers used the Kroger website and shopping app.
The following Texan stores will be converting to ClickList at these listed locations:
- Wylie - 2608 West FM 544
- Mansfield - 3300 East Broad Street
- Frisco - 3205 Main Street
- Little Elm - 2671 Little Elm Parkway
- Frisco - 12221 Custer Road
- Forney - 500 Marketplace Boulevard
- North Richland Hills - 9150 North Tarrant Parkway
- Denton - 5021 Teasley Lane
- Allen - 1212 East Bethany Drive
- Garland - 6850 North Shiloh Road
- Bartonville - 3400 FM 407 East
- Lewisville - 4620 State Highway 121
- Granbury - 3915 Highway 377 East
- Denton - 1592 South Loop 288
- Plano - 2925 Custer Road
Kroger moved into the Texas market after first securing its ClickList services in Ohio back in 2014. The Dallas Morning News also stated that Kroger is currently looking to expand into the Louisana markets as well.
The company is also accelerating its Ohio services with two stores becoming ClickList operational this Thursday. The two central Ohio locations will be the first in their area to offer the location:
- Columbus - 2090 Crown Plaza Drive
- Gahanna - 300 S. Hamilton Drive
ABC6 reported that Kroger plans to expand its Ohio reach even further with the service, to eventually reach throughout Westerville, Hilliard, Worthington, Lewis Center, and Columbus.
Kroger expects each ClickList renovation to provide around 20 new jobs. The company did not state how much would be spent on the project. As Kroger continues to build new retail stores, the service will automatically be built into the location.
Kroger currently has 21 stores with curbside offerings.
As retail giants continue to invest and examine consumer demand for curbside produce, stay with AndNowuKnow as we report on its impact for the fresh produce industry.
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that National Farm Wholesale Fruit & Vegetable Corp., satisfied a reparation order issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
The Bronx, NY, company has met its obligations and is now free to operate in the produce industry, according to a USDA press release. Farid I. Jaber was listed as the officer, director, and major stockholder of the business and may now be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee.
Once a reparation order is fully satisfied and it is confirmed that there are not any outstanding unpaid awards, the USDA lifts the employment restrictions of the previously named responsibly connected individuals. The USDA will only reinstate the license of a business to an active status if all reparation awards are satisfied and if the license is not terminated.
In the past three years, the 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.
CHICAGO, IL – As United Fresh draws to a close and attendees prepare their final even farewells, severe storms are looking to move quickly into the Midwest throughout this evening.
Originating from Iowa, ABC7 stated that thunderstorms are expected to move into the Chicago area early this afternoon. Attendees of the show can expect rainfall, and then a short break before weather activity will likely increase later in the evening.
If storm activity does pick up in an un-preferred fashion, The Storm Prediction Center advised it will most likely hit between 5 and 11 p.m. tonight, local time.
Such storms could produce strong and damaging winds, large hail, possible flooding, and small risk of tornado conditions. The National Weather Service has initiated a Flash Flood Watch for the area, which is currently projected to end on 1 a.m. local time.
The weather is expected to affect flights in the area, with officials urging travelers to keep an eye on their prospective plans in case they change shift or delay from the incoming storm.
Keep up with AndNowUKnow as we continue to report on breaking weather coverage. We hope that everyone still at the event easily exits the Chicago area as the storm passes through.
LEAMINGTON, ON – The 2016 R.E.A.CH. International Produce Competition has come to a close, and with it, a whole new list of branded winners and awarded products. Westmoreland-TopLine Farms is pleased to announce that the company took home three awards of its own.
“TopLine Farms is focused on flavor,” stated Jimmy Coppola, Account Marketing Manager. “Innovation on a varietal level starts with flavor, and these three awards are a testament to our commitment on keeping focused on flavor.”
The awards which Westmoreland-TopLine Farms took home from the event are as follows:
- Best Cocktail Cucumber
- Best Hot Pepper
- Best Overall Pepper: Westmoreland-TopLine Farms Hot Pepper
At this year’s greenhouse competition, judges anonymously reviewed each product to select the winners. The company stated in a press release that produce items entered into the competition were judged on flavor, taste, look, and smell.
Judges privately reviewed the entrants prior to allowing the public access to the competition tent, and each entry was marked only with a number to ensure unbiased results were achieved. Winners were selected in each category based on which received the highest score.
All funds raised from the 2016 Greenhouse Competition will go to R.E.A.C.H. International to help provide children with wellness and living care in Uganda, Africa.
Keep clicking back on AndNowUKnow as we continue to cover the latest and greatest produce awarded in the industry.
DELTA, B.C. - Always on the lookout for hot trends and innovations, it was great to catch up with Windset Farms’ Director of Sales, Jeff Madu, on one of the company’s latest launches: its new Top Seal tomato line.
“We’ve had really good response to this–the branding, the look…” Jeff explains of the March, 2016, launch, available now for retailers. “Really, when it comes down to everything, it’s always about the flavor, and these are the most flavorful tomatoes we’ve ever produced.
The new Top Seal products include:
- Tango®
- Symphony®
- Cameo®
- Concerto®
- Concerto Gold®
With cold seals implemented in the packaging, Jeff added that this new Top Seal is also resealable for the consumer’s convenience.
To see my entire interview with Jeff on the new five offerings of Windset’s Top Seal tomato line, watch the brief video above.
ORATINO, ITALY - Produce continues to offer itself to feed consumers imaginations as well as their bodies, as crafty artists look to fruits and veggies as intriguing canvases before diving in to enjoy them as a meal.
The cult following that has been formed around HBO’s Game of Thrones has inspired Valeriano Fatica, who identifies himself as a fruit and veggie carver via his YouTube account, to give a watermelon an intricate, and admittedly a little disturbing, face.
Step aside pumpkins, this could be on the list for carving this next Halloween.
The Night’s King, the creature who terrifies even the toughest in the series, has been mimicked remarcably in a sculpture out of a melon, even incorporating the red flesh of the fruit to make the scene just a bit more eerie.
You can see more of Fatica’s work with fruits and vegetables here.
As we reported recently, this is not the first foodie art to be inspired by a cult-like following. Sushi Chef and Star Wars fan, Okitsugu Kado, also sees fresh produce as the ideal canvas for expression in an act of Japan’s “mukimono,” or the art of decorative food garnishing.
Whether it be served as a garnish in a restaraunt, or garnering 123,000+ views on YouTube, we can’t wait to see how this quirky trend will push produce to the forefront.
SALINAS, CA – As the industry prepares for the upcoming Organic Produce Summit next month in Monterey, CA, the organization has announced that the event has sold out due to overwhelming interest from organic fresh produce and retail buyers.
As a result of the industry’s positive feedback for this first-time event, the Summit’s organizers have announced that another event is already being planned for a 2017 Organic Produce Summit. This second occurrence of the event will be held in July of next year, again in Monterey, CA, according to a press release.
This year’s event will feature a sold out exhibition floor of 72 organic produce growers, shippers, distributors, and processors from the industry. Over 60 retail buying organizations, from over 5,000 outlets throughout North America are also confirmed to attend.
The Organic Produce Summit will begin with an opening reception on July 13. On July 14, attendees have access to a series of educational sessions and keynote speakers who will cover a variety of topics related to the $14 billion organic produce category. An exhibit area, featuring a wide array of the world’s largest organic produce companies, will occur after the day's lunch break.
The 2016 Organic Produce Summit will be held at the Monterey Hyatt. For more information on the event, click here.
AndNowUKnow will continue to have your leading news on industry events, and subsequent announcements.
LEAMINGTON, ON - The R.E.A.CH. International Greenhouse Competitions wrapped up again this year with a host of winners across the board. Included in that exclusive group is Double Diamond Farms who took the Kids' Choice Tomato Award for the second year in a row, but this year for the company’s Bramato Brown Tomatoes.
“We are proud to take home this award for our Bramato tomato. These tomatoes are flavor-forward and present a deep, rich color that really helps to diversify our customer’s produce departments,” Chris Mastronardi, President/CEO, tells me.
The company is introducing new packaging for the Bramato as well, with newly designed 12 oz and 16 oz trays that offer delicious recipes straight from Double Diamond's cookbook.
“We also took home a 2nd place award for Best Cocktail for our Double Diamond Zebrino, that ripens to a deep reddish brown with unique green zebra stripes,” Caitlyne Johns, Director of Marketing, says. “In addition, we were recognized with a 3rd place award for our Double Diamond Cocktail Cukes.”
Greenhouse industry growers and marketers entered 159 entries into the competitions which celebrate Essex County as being the largest greenhouse industry in North America. A double blind element was introduced to the event this year to ensure that the official and people's choice judging was being done without bias.
Check out the delicious spread of Double Diamond tomatoes today at United Fresh booth #1650.
Congrats on the awards, Double Diamond!
CINCINNATI, OH – As the company announced that current Ralphs President Donna Giordano will be retiring, Kroger has appointed Valerie Jabbar to the position. Jabbar currently serves as Vice President of Merchandising for Ralphs.
"Valerie is an exceptional leader who is passionate about developing associates and serving our customers and communities," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger Chairman and CEO. "She brings to her new role broad retail experience, and a deep commitment to putting our customers first. We look forward to her continued leadership at Ralphs."
Giordano will retire from the company as of July 23, when Jabbar will then take her place.
Jabbar began work with the company in 1987 in the Fry’s division as a clerk. At Fry’s, Jabbar moved through several leadership roles including Assistant Store Director, Category Manager, and Drug and General Merchandise Coordinator.
Jabbar has also served in a variety of leadership roles in the Drug and General Merchandising sector of Kroger’s general office in Cinncinati, and within the Fry’s division. The company stated in a press release that Jabbar was appointed Fry’s District Manager before being appointed as Vice President of Merchandising for the Mid-Atlantic division in 2012. Jabbar was promoted to her most recent role in 2013.
The retiring Ralphs President joined the King Soopers company as a courtesy clerk in 1972 while attending college. In 1982, Giordano was named Store Manager of King Soopers, and held various director-level positions in advertising, grocery, general merchandise, and other sectors.
"Donna's distinguished leadership has helped Ralphs continue to grow, serve more customers in the highly-competitiveSouthern California market, and help Kroger across our business," continued McMullen. "She is respected throughout the industry and among our associates for her strategic leadership and engagement in the communities we serve. The entire Kroger family thanks Donna for her many contributions and wishes her and her family all the best in retirement."
Giordano was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing of King Soopers in 1999, before being appointed to her current executive position in 2011. Giordano still volunteers with the Network of Exectuive Woman, is currently a board member and President of the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC), and is a past member of the Orange County Girl Scouts.
Giordano intends to travel with her husband, Mario, and spend time with daughters Amber and Aubrey who reside in Seattle for her retirement.
AndNowUKnow will continue to have the latest in executive appointments and announcements within the industry.