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SALINAS, CA - The City of Salinas, California has presented TransFresh Corporation with a special Business Award for the company’s milestone 50-years of successful and continuous service. The award was announced at the Salinas City Council meeting in a gathering at the City Hall Rotunda on May 3, 2016.
With headquarters in Salinas, TransFresh is a pioneering and established global entity with 50 years of experience in perishables transport. Tectrol® is the trademarked brand name for the TransFresh family of proprietary modified and controlled atmosphere systems and processes developed and owned by TransFresh.
The TransFresh Tectrol Service Network™ services, markets and supports the Tectrol® pallet and storage systems operations and technologies. Since inception, TransFresh’s innovations in packaging, equipment and sealing processes have established Tectrol® as the industry standard.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on two produce businesses for failure to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
According to a recent USDA press release, the following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
- McAllen Produce LLC, operating out of Weslaco, TX, for failing to pay a $9,601 award in favor of a Florida seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, DJJJ Trust and Lori J. Edwards were listed as members of the business.
- Nevada Farms LLC, operating out of Las Vegas, NV, for failing to pay a $7,567 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Javier Gonzalez, Nicolas Toro, Maria Toro, and Jose Toro were listed as members of the business.
The USDA is required to suspend the license or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA-approval.
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.
A picture says a thousand words, and there isn't anyone I can think of that I'd love to say "thank you" to in a thousand different ways more than my mom.
This weekend we celebrate the mothers in our lives. Whomever that may be—our own mothers, mothers we know, or mothers we want to honor that have passed—let AndNowUKnow showcase them in our popular Yearbook!
Snap a photo with your favorite moms and share it with us to be featured in the AndNowUKnow Yearbook Mother’s Day edition, and help us to put a face to the women that build up the produce industry.
Post these special moments on Instagram and add the hashtag #ANUKMothersDay to have it pop up in our yearbook feature next week, or send your photos to us directly by emailing [email protected].
Join the AndNowUKnow team as we celebrate the women who really do make it all happen, and help us show our appreciation!
To the caregivers, the ones who seem to always know the answers, to the wonder women in all our lives, Happy Mother’s Day!
CINNCINNATI, OH – With the help of its recent partnership with natural organic retail chain Lucky’s Market, Kroger Co. is now reportedly looking to lay stakes in the Minnesota market for the first time. One analyst predicts that Kroger is also eying a major acquisition with Supervalu, to help the chain stick amongst a slew of competitors.
“It’s a crowded market, so it’s going to be hard to add scale unless you do it through an acquisition,” said Rick Shea, President of Minneapolis-based Shea Food Consultants, in a statement to Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. “The obvious candidate is Supervalu and the Cub chain.”
Lucky’s Markets were scouting store locations last week in the Minneapolis area, which would place these Kroger-partnered stores neighboring to Wisconsin, where Kroger recently bought Roundy’s and its 117 stores.
Shea says that, given that the top share of supermarkets in Minneapolis is secured by Cub Foods, he predicts that Kroger could very well be considering a deal with the chain’s parent-company, Supervalu, to secure Kroger's place in the Twin Cities market.
While Kroger has yet to comment on any acquisition speculation or its move into the Minneapolis market, Shea says that this could be a better strategic move than its recent merger of Roundy’s Pick ‘n Save stores.
“Kroger has done a good job integrating acquisitions,” Shea said. “I think they’re best in breed."
As we previously reported, Supervalu named Mark Gross as President and CEO of the company, who is no stranger to mergers and acquisitions in the buy-side industry.
Given Kroger’s recent investments in Tennessee and Michigan, expansions with Lucky’s in Florida, and hirings and executive appointments, it’s safe to speculate that Kroger will continue to make big moves as it fights to stay at the head of the ever-changing market.
Keep up with AndNowUKnow as we continue to report on Kroger and Lucky’s Market’s moves into the Minneapolis market, and breaking acquisition news in the industry.
RIVERHEAD, NY - May is here, and with it Hapco Farms' watermelon season. With the company shipping its watermelons from South Florida, and production ramping up in May out of Central and Northern Florida, the company’s season is about to be ripe with both quality and volume.
“Our domestic melon program will run from late April through Labor Day, and we anticipate a good crop with plenty of watermelon for the summer months,” explains Raquel Mello, Sales at Hapco Farms. Raquel adds that thanks to Hapco’s relationships with its grower partners, the company is able to ship its domestic watermelons this entire period without any gaps or shortages.
For over 25 years, Hapco Farms has been shipping watermelon, distributing both seeded and seedless varieties throughout the East Coast. Now providing retailers with over 5,000,000 watermelons per year, the company is also a great source for point-of-sales materials, Raquel adds.
“For retailers, we offer private label graphic bins that can hold 700 pounds of watermelon. These bins make Hapco a turnkey for retailers,” she adds. “Because we’ve being shipping our watermelons for over two decades, Hapco has an expertise that we can pass on to our customers.”
Want to learn more about Hapco’s massive Florida watermelon programs? Visit www.Hapcofarms.com for details, or email Raquel [email protected] for all your pricing needs. And as always, keep following AndNowUKnow for the latest updates on the burgeoning summer melon season.
NEW YORK, NY - When life gives you watermelons, make WTRMLN WTR? That’s exactly what superstar performer and entrepreneur Beyoncé is doing to launch off of the success of her smash-hit visual album, Lemonade.
Beyoncé has reportedly invested in startup beverage company WTRMLN WTR, which partners with farmers to turn 800 million pounds of “less-than-perfect” watermelons into cold-pressed watermelon water. The company is woman-owned, ran by Co-Founder and Creative Director, Jody Levy, who told Fortune Magazine the investment was part of a recent capital raise.
“I invested in WTRMLN WTR because it’s the future of clean, natural hydration; as partners, we share a simple mission to deliver accessible wellness to the world,” Beyoncé announced in a statement, explaining, “This is more than an investment in a brand, it’s an investment in female leaders, fitness, American farmers, and the health of people and our planet.”
Based in New York City, WTRMLN WTR is only three years old, but on the rise. According to Fortune Magazine, the startup says annual revenue is currently on pace to triple this year from 2015, and is currently stocked in over 7,500 retail locations like Whole Foods, Kroger, and Costco.
Now propelled by the star-power of Beyoncé, who also recently launched and sold out of her athletic clothing brand collaboration with fashion retailer Top Shop, Ivy Park, it seems like WTRMLN WTR won't be running out of steam anytime soon.
“I’m a fan of her mission to empower people to be the best humans they can be,” Levy tells Fortune of the new partnership. “I’ve been aligned with her lyrics, philosophy, and everything about Beyoncé’s brand and world.”
Think the produce industry can get Beyoncé to push any more fruit or veggie products? For the sake of my super fandom of her, I sure hope so!
SALINAS, CA –The Nunes Company is welcoming a new face to the team. Laura Hastie joins Nunes as its new Marketing Assistant as the company continues to expand its reach with Foxy brand fresh produce. In her new role, Hastie will be responsible for Foxy’s social media and digital marketing efforts, and representing the company at industry events.
“We are thrilled to have Laura on the Nunes team. Her background in the wine industry and in ag will lend itself to what we do here with our Foxy brand,” Matt Seeley, Vice President of Marketing, tells me. “Laura is local and knows the tenants of the business well. We look forward to the insights and support that she will bring to our team and all the various projects that are coming down the pipeline.”
Hastie kicked off her career in ag as the Events and Social Media Coordinator at Talbott Vineyards in Salinas, California. In addition to managing all social media efforts for the brand, she also coordinated both onsite and offsite winery events while supporting the sales and marketing team.
Born and raised in Salinas, Hastie earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies and Marketing from California State University, Long Beach, according to a press release. Hastie spent a semester abroad and also completed several successful internships while studying as an undergrad.
Congrats, Laura, on your new role with Nunes! We look forward to meeting you at the season’s upcoming industry events!
LOS ANGELES, CA - 4Earth Farms has launched a new organic retail line, with a spin on over sealed tray packaging.
With technology available only in Europe, the company announced that the newly-launched organic line is being sealed in unique laminated material made of recycled paper and anti-fogging clear poly film, finished with a die cut window in the shape of its branded leaf pattern.
“We discovered this beautiful film product while attending the Fruit Logistica Show in Berlin, and to our knowledge we are the only company using it with fresh produce,” said 4Earth’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Mark Munger, according to a press release. “The rich graphics and hand feel of the paper finish film are the perfect complement for our 4Earth Farms brand. It looks great on the shelf, and the technologies we are using also provide remarkable shelf-life. This is packaging truly worthy of its contents.”
That contents, the company announced, includes these five products for the initial launch of the 4Earth Organics Label:
- Organic Brussels Sprouts
- Organic Green Beans
- Organic Sugar Snap Peas
- Organic Broccoli Florets
- Organic Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Baby Carrots Vegetable Medley
The Vegetable Medley is available ranging from 8 to 12 oz units, 4Earth said.
As for the company’s elected method of packaging, Munger commented, “Because they fit in standard display racks or stand up vertically by themselves, we see our retail partners being very successful displaying them as a family on the shelf. They will not only provide a guaranteed ring but they will add another set of profitable SKUs to our retail organic offering.”
We will continue to follow the strategic growth of 4Earth Farms and other produce companies as they continue to make innovative moves in organics, sustainability, and beyond.
CALIFORNIA - Recent weather events are making for a tight cherry market as the California season gets under way. As we move toward warmer weather and growing demand, some of the state’s cherry growers filled me in on the challenges so far and what we can expect moving forward.
Tom Gotelli of OG Packing and Grower Direct Marketing, tells me that the timing of the rain that we received in late April was enough to decrease the overall volume of the early Brook and Coral crop in the Southern and some middle districts. But, recent enhancements at the company’s facility in Stockton have allowed them to address any quality issues as the crop comes in.
“This season, our parent company, OG Packing, has made a significant upgrade to our optical sizers and Unitec technology. We have made excellent use of this new Cherry Vision 2 camera system and proprietary software upgrades to increase packing efficiency and increase quality fruit sent to our retail partners,” Tom adds.
The improvements OG Packing made this off-season were in the software and hardware on the company’s Unitec lines. CherryVision 2 is paying its dividends in quality for its pack in this type of season.
“The team that we have assembled to monitor our pack-outs has done a tremendous job so far this season managing the quality in our pack," he adds. “As of today, we can see good quality in the Bings and ample volume beginning around May 10th to meet the demands of retail promotions for Memorial Day.”
Keith Wilson, President of King Fresh, tells me that while supplies have taken a hit quality is looking good despite the recent rains over the past couple weeks, and that growers are monitoring their fields daily.
“We are optimistic about the crop as the season ramps up in the coming weeks and we move past the supply shortages," Keith says. “For now, the market should stay active based on the low daily shipments.”
Keith has also observed the growing demand for cherries in recent years, and that hopefully volumes will peak between May 5th and May 20th making cherries a sought after category.
“King Fresh is selling out daily on California Cherries. We have a lot of customers who appreciate our loading location near stonefruit and blueberries in Kingsburg,” Keith adds.
Looking forward, growers see a strong Bing crop as we head into the second half of the season, and as of today, growers can see ample volume on the horizon to meet consumer demand.
With California's tempermental weather, and tentative upcoming rains, we will be sure to keep you in the loop on all things cherries.