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HOLLYWOOD, FL - Despite the bustle of the Southern Explosure show floor, Stu Monaghan, Sales Director at Seald Sweet, took some time to give insight into the company's fast-approaching grape and citrus programs.
“We’ve got our own staff in place in each of the locations, our own Q.C. [quality control],” Stu tells me, explaining that Seald Sweet moves through Peru, Chile, and Mexcio as the grape season progresses, operating out of Nogales, AZ. “We bring [products] into our own facilities, so we’re integrated from top to bottom.”
Stu details that the company's Southern Hemisphere portfolio includes not only grapes, clementines and navels as well.
The company is currently looking at the following dates for its citrus production:
- Clementines: May thru October
- Navals: First of July thru November
For more details on Seald Sweet’s citrus and grape programs, watch the brief video interview above.
SALINAS, CA – In conjunction with the company’s attendance at the upcoming CPMA show in Calgary, Mann Packing has announced its plans to highlight three of the newest additions to its Culinary Cuts® line.
“We are always excited during the lead up to CPMA, especially when we’re going to highlight innovative new products like Mann’s Culinary Cuts,” said Ben Alviano, National Business Manager for Mann’s in Canada, in a press release.
The fresh-cut vegetables newest to the line, and to be featured at the annual convention, are as follows:
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts
- Cauliettes®
- Broccoli Clovers
The cut vegetable variations on Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and finely chopped cauliflower are currently being shipped as new products across Canada. The new products join Sweet Potato Ribbons and Butternut Squash Zig Zags on the Culinary Cuts® line.
Attendees of the CPMA trade show in Calgary, Alberta, taking place next week from April 12 – 14, can see the new product showcase at Mann Packing’s trade show booth #622.
Mann Packing said that it has also continued its ongoing support of CPMA’s Half Your Plate initiative, support present since the initiative's creation. “Mann’s is very proud of our longstanding partnership with CPMA, and the tremendous progress of the Half Your Plate initiative,” disclosed Alviano.
Half Your Plate is dedicated to further empowering Canadians to eat a wider variety and quantity of fruits and veggies, said Mann Packing. The company also stated that it features the initiative’s logo on the bags of its Sugar Snap Peas. More information on Half Your Plate can be found here.
Stay in step with AndNowUKnow as we release continuous coverage on the upcoming CPMA event and announcements.
MEXICO CITY, MX - Popocatépetl, one of the 14 active volcanos in the Mexico City region, erupted lava and rock earlier this week after days of activity.
An ash cloud more than a mile high lingered after the volcano erupted violently late Sunday evening, showering the base and immediate area with rock and rubble, according to a UPI report.
As we reported recently, Popocatépetl awoke spewing ash with a more minor eruption last week, March 28th, after two years of inactivity. The volcano remains, however, one of the more active in North America.
As a result, the local authorities have been on alert, with a blockade more than seven miles in diameter in place around Popocatépetl to keep locals away.
To watch the volcano in action, see the video below:
The area’s alert level since the initial activity has risen from the first degree to the second out of three, UPI reports, but hasn’t escalated to the final degree despite the latest and largest eruption.
It did, however, destroy a large dome of lava that formed in January, and falling ash may affect nearby towns.
There has not been any reports that travel in the region has been affected, good news as Popocatépetl is just 43 miles southeast of busy transport hub Mexico City.
AndNowUKnow will continue to follow the volcano’s activity and any news of its effect on produce in the region, so stay tuned.
CINCINATTI, OH - Kroger Co. has announced a new President for its Smith’s division, promoting 32-year company vet and former Vice President of Operations, Kenny Kimball. Effective April 30, Kimball will be taking the role left by Jay Cummins, who announced his retirement in February.
Starting in 1984 as a Courtesy Clerk, Kimball began his career at Kroger in the Smith's division. After working in several leadership roles with Smith's, including Store Manager, District Manager, and Bakery Director, Kimball was named Smith's Senior Vice President of Sales and Merchandising in 2009. In 2012, he became Vice President of Merchandising for Kroger's Ralphs division, and named Vice President of Operations for Ralphs in 2013. Kimball was most recently employed by a special assignment with Kroger's general office in 2015, taking on his current role of Vice President of Operations at Smith’s in February.
"Kenny's passion for developing associates and his commitment to putting our customers first will further accelerate growth in our important Smith's division markets," shared Rodney McMullen, Kroger's Chairman and CEO, in a press release. "Kenny brings to this role leadership experience at all levels of our business, and a record of success as both an operator and a merchandiser. We look forward to his leadership as president of Smith's."
Based in Salt Lake City, UT, Smith's operates 138 stores throughout seven western states, employing 18,000 associates.
OTTAWA -Now less than a week away, CPMA’s Annual Convention & Trade Show has an impressive list of new innovations to showcase for 2016 in the vibrant city of Calgary. Running from April 12-14 in Calgary, Alberta at the BMO Centre, the convention has even changed its Convention and Trade Show format to take place from Tuesday to Thursday, helping cater to the growing demographic of younger produce industry professionals who are aiming for a better work-life balance.
Need more reasons to get excited about the upcoming show? Get a glimpse at how the event is shaping up by the numbers below:
- 431 exhibit spaces (10x10 ft) on the CPMA Trade Show floor
- 231 exhibiting companies
- 7 countries represented
- 31 new CPMA members exhibiting for the first time in 2016
- All exhibiting new members will have a floor decal in front of their booth so attendees can welcome them
- 51 companies participating in the New Product Showcase
- 91 years the CPMA has been serving the produce industry in Canada
According to a press release, the CPMA’s 91st Annual Convention and Trade Show is welcoming exhibitors who are active within the Canadian fruit and vegetable marketplace, and offers a distinctive blend of business, networking, development and educational opportunities, while attracting a wide variety of attendees. Produce Retailers and Foodservice Distributors/Operators can take advantage of the association’s complimentary Trade Show voucher by registering online at www.convention.cpma.ca.
Delegates will have the opportunity to meet with the over 231 exhibiting companies, participate in business and social programs, and capitalize on opportunities to enrich industry knowledge and grow business in Canada. You can check out CPMA’s Look Who’s Coming list to get a better idea of who else will be in attendance, and check back with AndNowUKnow to see all the excitement from the show!
SALINAS, CA - Joining a growing list of speakers from some of the top organic companies out there, the inaugural Organic Produce Summit (OPS) has added SunOpta’s Vice President of Consumer Products Group, Chad Hagen, as a keynote speaker.
For the conference taking place at the Monterey, CA Hyatt Regency from July 13-14, Hagen will join presenters Greg Holzman, Founder of Purity Organic Produce and Purity Organics brand juices, and noted former New York Times columnist and Co-founder of Purple Carrot, Mark Bittman, as featured speakers at the first-ever event focused exclusively on organic fresh produce.
SunOpta Inc., one of the largest global organic ingredients companies, specializes in the sourcing, processing and packaging of organic and non-GMO food products, integrated from seed through packaged products. The company’s reach spans 60 countries and 5,000 organic growers. According to a press release, the addition of Hagen to the list of speakers will help create a line-up of innovative, diverse, and inspiring speakers for OPS attendees.
“Organic produce has enjoyed more growth and sales velocity than ever before,” explained Lara Grossman, Sales and Marketing Manager for Robinson Fresh, in a statement. “Its effects are increasingly impactful to all areas of the produce supply chain. This inaugural Organic Produce Summit’s education session promises highly relevant, of-the-moment topics with organic experts who are leading the category as it continues to shift the tectonic plates of our industry.”
As of today, the OPS has received confirmation from over 40 different retail and buying organizations who will be attending the event, totaling over 20,000 stores across the United States and Canada. On top of an excellent slice of retailers lined up to attend, nearly 70 organic producers have signed up as exhibitors for the event. Organizers of the event expect it to sell out fast, so be sure to check out www.organicproducesummit.com for registration and a list of those already attending.
Additional educational seminars hosted by the Organic Trade Association are currently being finalized, with an array of established industry educators and leaders serving as panelists in three different educational sessions. A fourth educational session on the growing e-grocery sector and organic produce is also being finalized, with panelists Tony Stallone, Vice President of Merchandising for Peapod, and Mike Buffington of IdeoClick. Kevin Coupe, Founder of The Morning News Beat, will serve as moderator.
Co-sponsored by Taylor Farms and Braga Fresh, OPS also receives support from major sponsors including Tomorrow’s Organics, Homegrown Organic Farms, Earthbound Farms, and Driscolls.
For further information about the inaugural Organic Produce Summit, visit the summit's website here, and keep tuning into AndNowUKnow for the latest updates on the summit.
PORTERVILLE, CA – Organic fruit marketer, Homegrown Organic Farms, has announced the launch of a new fruit product line in a new collaboration with its sister-company, Thomas Creek Farms. The new line of freeze-dried organic fruit products will be sold under the “Homegrown Organic Farms” brand name.
“The preliminary response we’ve received from both retailers and consumers has been outstanding,” commented Scott Mabs, CEO of Homegrown Organic Farms and Thomas Creek Farms, in a press release. “We’re excited to be able to help bring these new, innovative snacks to market under the Homegrown Organic Farms brand.”
The new line was initially launched at the Natural Products Expo West in March, and will begin shipping to stores in May. The array of new freeze-dried products includes the following organic fruits in multi-serve pouches:
- Apples
- Grapes
- Blueberries
The organic freeze-dried fruits listed below will be for sale in smaller, single-serving 10g packs:
- Blueberry and apple blends
- Blueberry and grape blends
- Blueberries
Karen Avinelis, Founder and Director of R&D at Thomas Creek Farms stated, “With our expertise as growers, we have an advantage in knowing what makes the perfect freeze-dried piece of fruit—from seed to shelf. We’ve put close to three years of R&D into the product we have today and we’re excited to finally be able to share it with the world.”
The companies said that all the featured fruit is USA grown, and will have a shelf-life of 18 months. Homegrown Organic Farms also stated that its organic snack-line is certified RAW, as well as Non-GMO project verified.
Thomas Creek Farms was founded in 2012 by Homegrown Organic Farms founders John and Cindy France, who came together with their long-time business partners Tom and Karen Avinelis to form the company. Between both, the companies said, the families are able to pursue sustainable farming and cutting-edge food technology, with Thomas Creek Farms focusing on research and development on healthy and preservative-free products.
Find out more about this partnership and product line here, and keep checking back with AndNowUKnow for your premiere organic news.
CINCINNATI, OH - With new locations, as well as revamps to existing locations, Kroger is looking to invest upwards of $180 million in the Michigan market, creating about 1,000 jobs in the process.
“Last year was an incredible year of growth and innovation for The Kroger Co. of Michigan and we are excited to announce that we will exceed our 2015 accomplishments by every metric and measure in 2016,” Jayne Homco, President of the Kroger Co. of Michigan, said in a written statement, according to a Lansing State Journal report.
New locations and improvements in store for the retailer include:
- Three new Marketplace format stores
- Extensive remodeling at 11 existing stores
- 22 new ClickList sites
- Six new fuel centers
The Marketplace, Kroger’s supermarket-plus concept, includes home goods, an array of appliances, home office items, and toys in addition to its grocery offerings.
While Kroger did say that growth in all margins can be expected for this year, it did not release any anticipated opening dates or sites for the new locations, timelines for the remodels, or where the additional ClickList sites would be made available.
Having just announced a new partnership with Lucky’s Market, Kroger looks to have more slated for 2016. Keep checking with AndNowUKnow as we report on any further developments for the retailer and beyond.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - By now I'm sure you've seen our coverage of the 2016 Viva Fresh Produce Expo, but there's still more to show! As our reporter Melissa revealed the showcases that caught her eye at the show earlier this week, here are five more offerings that left an impression on me even after the hectic show floor subsided.
Pure Flavor's Living Lettuce
I don’t know about you, but the idea that we live in an era where you can have a living salad on your counter at all times still gets me pretty excited. While the idea you can have living at-home lettuce isn’t brand new, this offering from Pure Flavor features its own growing medium for ease-of-use and doesn't need to be refrigerated to keep it fresh to last bite. That way you can even have a beautiful table centerpiece that's totally edible!
Calavo’s Homeboy Industries Line
Talk about an eye-catching packaging with the story to match. Calavo Foods and its Homeboy Industries line showcased an array of guacamoles, salsas, and even a hummus at Viva Fresh this year. And then you hear the cause behind it. With every Homeboy product purchased, Calavo gives back to support formerly gang-involved and recently incarcerated men and women, helping them to redirect their lives. As Calavo keeps growing its dips and food lines with the new Homeboy brand, I predict a lot of eyes will be drawn to the simple color-blocked packaging and the inspiring cause behind it.
Potandon’s Boil-in-Bag Packaging
Ahh, there’s nothing like convenience. With Potandon’s latest offering you can actually cut the step of even taking the potatoes out of the bag! Using Boil-In-Bag packaging saves you the trouble of choosing a serving size, wrestling the potatoes out of the packaging, and fishing the potatoes out of the water. Nothing like saving some precious time and ending up with a delicious plate of potatoes in a matter of minutes.
London Fruit’s Lime Boxes
London Fruit came to Viva Fresh with the same great products its had for some time now, but it did show off the latest look for the company in its new lime boxes. Soon to spread through the company to pack the company’s Mexican-grown mangos and avocados as well, the company’s newly designed boxes show just how much of a difference beautiful coloring and complementary design make when drawing your eye to a product.
Fresh Express Salad Kits
I’m always on the look out for a new and easy salad kit, and these new flavor combinations from Fresh Express are no exception. The company was at the conference showing off its Sunflower Crisp, Chipotle Cheddar, BBQ Ranch, and my two personal favorites—Bacon & Bleu and Southwest (both featuring greek yogurt dressing). Consumers have been trending towards Greek yogurt for a while now, and seeing it complimented so well in a greek yogurt bleu cheese dressing and the Greek yogurt jalapeño ranch for the salads was exciting to see.
There you have it! Whether you weren't able to make it out to the show or got too caught up to see all the new innovations on the floor, there are five things that made their mark on me after this year's Viva Fresh. See you all again in Austin next year!