- Read more about Friday, March 18th 2016
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CHICAGO, IL - This is What’s In Store for RSM, a leading provider of Microsoft solutions built for produce.
With years of experience in helping produce companies meet their business and growth goals through industry expertise and technology, RSM provides end-to-end solutions and services built specifically for growers, packers, shippers, and fresh-cut processors.
And it is excited to announce that both its Dynamics AX for Growers and Dynamics AX for Lot Trace & Safety solutions for produce are now certified for Microsoft Dynamics AX7 - meaning fully-tested and certified based on Microsoft best practices.
The new release of Dynamics AX, built on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, means your company can reap the benefits of a world-class enterprise solution suite, plus all a cloud delivery platform has to offer – paying only for what you use with a consumption-based model, adding licenses only as you need them, “Always-on” IT availability, and so much more! The best part? It’s all built for Produce!
RSM has built solution sets to help produce companies streamline their technology solutions onto a single platform. A platform that is not only ready for modern business, but that is flexible and dynamic, and built on Microsoft to operate with your existingsolutions such as Office, SharePoint, and more.
Thank you for watching What’s In Store.
ST. CLOUD, MN - With fresh offerings becoming an even bigger point of differentiation for retailers, it's no wonder retailer Coborn’s, Inc. has set out to enhance the category by placing new key leaders in strategic roles. Employee’s Emily Coborn, Mike Richter, and the previously announced Tom Williams have all been promoted to executive fresh positions.
Previously a District Manger for the company, Emily Coborn will now serve under the new role of Vice President of Fresh Merchandising. Reporting to Executive Vice President of Sales Greg Sandeno, Coborn will oversee Coborn’s produce, bakery, deli, and meat and Seafood departments, along with the company’s growing team of supermarket dietitians.
In her former role of District Manager, Emily oversaw 10 stores across Minnesota. Other prior positions at the company include Director of Topco Program Management and Communications Manager. Joining Coborn’s in April 2011, Emily had worked for several years at Supervalu.
Director of Meat and Seafood Mike Richter has been promoted to Senior Director of Meat, Seafood, and Fresh Merchandising, where he will now oversee the entire department while serving as a valued mentor to other fresh merchandising leaders. He will reporting to new Fresh Merchandising VP Emily Coborn.
Over Richter’s 20 years with Coborn’s, the company says in a press release that he has distinguished himself as a visionary leader with a proven ability to bring retail programs to life. Prior to joining Coborn’s, Richter spent 15 years working for Fairway Foods as Meat, Deli, and Bakery Director.
As we’ve previously reported, Coborn’s announced Tom Williams as its new Director of Produce and Floral Merchandising. Williams will be in charge of developing and leading the implementation of produce and floral merchandising strategies for the company’s separate retail divisions, including Coborn’s, Cash Wise, Marketplace Foods and CobornsDelivers. Williams is tasked with achieving the company’s desired sales and gross profit results, as well as maximizing produce and floral distribution.
In his most recent role, Williams served as Manager of Corporate Retail Produce and Floral at SpartanNash Company. Prior to that role, he spent 35 years in various leadership positions with Supervalu’s Northern Region, Brookshire Grocery Company, Cub Foods Corporate, H. Brooks and Company, and Upper Lakes Foods.
For more on the increasing importance of fresh produce in the retail landscape, keep following AndNowUKnow.
MONTEREY, CA - Max Yeater has come a long way since his days as a bird dog. The produce veteran who joined PRO*ACT in 1994 as a field inspector, made his way up the executive ladder to President, and can now add Chief Executive Officer to his title. In his five years as President, Max has been a critical part of PRO*ACT’s significant growth as a national distributor of fresh food.
Charles Gilbert, CEO of Hearn Kirkwood in Hanover, MD., a PRO*ACT founding member, and a current PRO*ACT Chairman said of Max, “We are fortunate to have such a dedicated and experienced leader. Max knows and understands every aspect of the business. After all, he’s been with us almost since the beginning. I am sure his passion and vision will guide the organization into a successful – and exciting – future.”
Max has been responsible for not only guiding the day-to-day activities of the company but has also taken the reins for the strategic planning necessary to set the direction for PRO*ACT’s continued growth and sustainable success into the future, according to a press release.
“I am grateful to have joined such a forward-thinking organization, willing to take on a young person starting out and supporting his career path,” Max shared.
After Max joined PRO*ACT as a field inspector, he was soon promoted to Director and then Vice President of Procurement. In 2011, he was made President. Max has been with the organization for 22 of its 25 years.
Congratulations, Max, on this most recent honor and your new role as CEO!
HOLLYWOOD, FL - There was much to see and take in on the floor of SEPC, and among the valuable conversations and networking, Chelan Fresh’s Director of Marketing Mack Riggan took the time to walk us through the company’s latest packaging strategy: it’s new pouch bags.
“We’re finding that the better we communicate with customers, we can convert them from shoppers to buyers that much better,” Mac tells me as he explains the different ways Chelan is conveying messages on the bag without being overwhelming. “So we’re very excited about how this will help us at retail.”
Used to package the company’s Anjou Pears, Organic Bosc, and Honeycrisps, Chelan’s new pouch bag communicates all of the following in a clear message:
- The weight of the bag
- The name of the fruit
- A taste meter
- The origin of the product
- Hints of how to use the product
All this is conveyed while still leaving plenty of space for the consumer to see exactly what they are purchasing, pulling off what Mac aptly describes and a “high-end look” that is still user friendly.
To see our full interview, watch the brief video above.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a time where the foodservice sector has never been more important to the produce industry, United Fresh has chosen seven of the country's most exciting chefs and foodservice professionals as part of the 9th Annual Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards Program.
"These seven winners are using fresh fruits and vegetables on their menus in very innovative ways,” explained Tom Stenzel, United Fresh’s CEO. “We are proud to honor them for the important role that they play in showcasing our industry and introducing their customers to fruit and vegetable trends and new products. We appreciate their tremendous commitment and recognize PRO*ACT's continued generosity and support in honoring these winners and their positive impact on our nation's dining habits."
Sponsored by PRO*ACT LLC, this program is designed to honor chefs and their companies for innovative and influential uses of fresh produce in the culinary arts. Each winner will be an honored guest at the United Fresh 2016 convention and trade show, June 20-22 in Chicago.
"Year after year, these honorees continue to impress us with their creativity and ingenuity," said Max Yeater, PRO*ACT’s President and CEO. "We are so proud to be the sponsor of the Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards and we thank all of the nominees and all of the chefs who dedicate their efforts to increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables."
According to a press release, the full list of 2016 Produce Excellence in Foodservice Award winners includes:
Business in Industry:
- Chef Craig Tarrant, Culinary Director; Chef Elijah Coe; Executive Chef Café 16 and Chef Zach Therioakes; Executive Chef Studio H Café, Dining at Microsoft, Redmond, WA
Casual & Family Dining Restaurants:
- Chef Steven Sturm, Corporate Executive Chef, Firebirds Restaurants, Charlotte, NC
Colleges & Universities:
- Chef Anthony Lauri, CEC, AAC, ACE, Executive Chef, Chartwells at University of Miami, Miami, FL
Fine Dining Restaurants:
- Chef Leonard Hollander, Arbor, Chicago, IL
Hotels & Healthcare:
- Chef Nazim Khan, CEC, Executive Chef, Bryan Health System, Lincoln, NE
K-12 School Foodservice:
- Marilyn Hughes, PhD, RD, Director, Nutrition Department, Atlanta Public Schools, Atlanta, GA
Quick Service Restaurants:
- Chef Oliver Plust, Executive Chef & General Manager, Tender Greens Hollywood, Hollywood, CA
Selected from more than 120 nominations submitted by produce companies and foodservice operations across North America, these winners were selected by a panel of produce and foodservice industry leaders who reviewed nominees’ incorporation of fresh produce into menus, use of food safety protocols, leadership in produce-related community service/special events, and recognition by their company and industry peers.
Winners will be featured in a panel discussion on the United Fresh 2016 trade show floor in the Fresh Marketplace Learning Center on Wednesday, June 22, and will receive their awards at the Retail-Foodservice Celebration Dinner that evening.
AUSTIN, TX - Whole Foods has a new distribution center in the works, to be located in the Chicago area’s Pullman, IL.
"Our new Pullman distribution center will not only let us more conveniently serve our 25 Chicagoland locations, it also gives us easy access to our stores all across the Midwest," Michael Bashaw, Midwest Regional President for Whole Foods, said in a statement, according to the Chicago Tribune. "We are incredibly proud of the opportunity to be a part of a neighborhood that's so connected to Chicago's past and also such an important part of Chicago's future."
The new 140,000-square-foot facility will employ about 150 people, acting as a replacement for the retailer’s current operations in Munster, IN.
The Chicago City Council is expected to consider $7.4 million in tax increment financing to incentivise Whole Foods to pursue the facility, covering costs like preparation and other development expenses, according to the Tribune.
"Neighborhood investments like these — from stores in Hyde Park and Englewood to this distribution center in Pullman — will be vital community anchors and open up more avenues of opportunity for all Chicagoans," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in the statement made with Whole Foods.
The new distribution center is expected to open in early 2018, serving up to 70 Midwest stores as it continues to grow its footprint in the region.
With new openings slated in the area next year, including a new 365 store in the fall of 2017, AndNowUKnow will continue to follow movement with Whole Foods and all other retailers influencing the produce industry.
- Read more about Thursday, March 17th 2016
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CORONA, CA - In another big move to boost its growing sales department, Veg-Fresh Farms has hired 25-year retail produce veteran Chris Jacoby.
A produce merchandising and category management specialist, Jacoby started his career in-store at Albertsons, quickly working his way up to Produce Category Manager for the company’s Southern California division. Jacoby also holds experience as Director of Produce for Haggen’s Southern California Division and as a member of the sales and procurement team at Coast Produce, where he worked closely with marketing to develop new packaging and product lines.
“As Veg-Fresh Farms continues to expand our commodities and product lines, we were looking for someone who understands all sides of the business. Chris’ experience and talent are a perfect fit for Veg-Fresh Farms,” explained Dino Cancellieri Sr., Partner at Veg-Fresh Farms. “His retail savvy, sales experience, and years of produce merchandising and marketing will help to drive our programs to the next level”.
Partner Dino Cancellieri Jr. also weighed in on the addition of Jacoby and his impressive skill set, explaining he will be working closely with the sales and marketing team as Veg-Fresh Farms expands its brands and launches new product lines.
“Veg-Fresh Farms experienced substantial growth in the last two years, and the need to hire people with the right balance of retail and sales experience has been an essential part of growing our team,” added Cancellieri Jr.
A third generation family-run agribusiness, Veg-Fresh Farms provides fresh produce to national food service chains and national retailers under the Veg-Fresh Farms, Crystal Cove Berry Farms and Good Life Organic™ labels.
IRVINE, CA - With the California avocado harvesting season underway, and the California Avocado Commission (CAC) turned its focus to food safety, hosting seminars to clarify the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and its enchantments to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) during the first three days of March.
“There will be a few changes to CAC’s GAP manual to align with FSMA, principally around water testing, and our objective is to help the growers prepare for compliance,” said CAC Vice President of Industry Affairs, Ken Melban, in the press release, clarifying that compliance with FSMA regulations is mostly about documenting practices already in place for California avocado growers.
300 growers attended the seminars, during which CAC provided GAP manuals and a guide for the new food safety regulations, as well as explaining implications for the industry’s harvesting and growing practices.
Although the El Nino predictions have yet to fully materialize as expected, most growers reported an increase in their 2016 harvesting volumes. Attributed to additional rainfall, California avocado trees are expected to yield approximately 30 to 40 percent more crops than in 2015.
This is good news for avocado growers and retailers. As reported by Vice President of Marketing for CAC, Jan DeLyser, March is an important time for foodservice promotions in the avocado category.
“There are many promotional opportunities this month and retailers are hungry for reliable quality to showcase,” DeLyser said. “With St. Patrick’s Day, March Madness, and Easter, we’re looking at a total avocado category forecast for an 18-day period in March that may even exceed a comparable Cinco de Mayo period this year.”
CAC added that it serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry, with many retailers in its advertised markets already having transitioned, or being in the process of transitioning, to the California crop.
AndNowUKnow will continue to report on key avocado news for promotional opportunities for the approaching holidays and beyond.