WENATCHEE, WA - The deeper the snow, the better the cherries.
It’s a recipe passed down by fourth generation grower Kyle Mathison’s great grandfather, and one that Mathison himself was perplexed by before he understood the science behind the method.
“The deeper the snow… you have about three feet of snow that covers this beautiful land between November and the first of April,” he explains in a detailed company video. “During that time the temperatures are way below freezing all winter, but the soil temperatures remain at 42 degrees.”
Why is this crucial to cherry quality? Because of the time and the chemistry that happens throughout the winter, as he explains in detail in the 2:25-length video below.
Mathison’s knowledge in cherry growing is in his blood, inspiring Stemilt’s Kyle’s Pick™ program, well-known for offering premium cherries. Now he gives some insight into the methods his family has passed down since his great grandfather broke into the soil of Stemilt Hill in Washington in 1893.
“It’s hard to believe this beautiful climate, with this beautiful compost, works together to give us this rich soup that gives us these aromatic flavors that you can’t find anywhere else on earth,” Mathison says of the deeper the snow methodology that has fueled the program for four generations.
The fruits of that snow will be known soon enough! Harvest on Stemilt Hill kicks off in early July with Kyle's high-elevation cherries following in August.
IRVINE, CA – The California Avocado Commission (CAC) has grown, with a new Retail Marketing Director and Online Marketing Director.
Twenty year produce veteran Carolyn Becker has been named the commission's new Retail Marketing Director for the northwest region, while team member of 11 years Zac Benedict has been promoted to Online Marketing Director.
“Consumers in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain regions of the U.S. prefer California avocados almost as much as those in our home state do,” CAC’s Vice President of Marketing, Jan DeLyser, said in a press release. “So we are very excited to have Carolyn Becker join our team to work with retailers and continue building loyalty to California avocados in those regions.”
Becker brings experience in representing both growers and marketing associations to the retail produce trade to her new role with the commission, having managed marketing programs for a variety of commodity associations, including:
- California Kiwifruit Commission
- California Pear Board
- California Cherry Advisory Board
She currently represents Bard Valley Date Growers and Primavera Marketing to retailers in the west.
Zach joined the team in 2005, having begun as an intern merchandising clerk while studying at Cal State University, Fullerton.
“Zac Benedict’s promotion to Director is both a recognition of his talent and growth as well as an understanding of the ever-increasing importance of online marketing to the consumer today,” DeLyser commented. “Digital marketing and social media are critical vehicles CAC employs to reach our target markets and support customers who value California avocados.”
Having worked his way up to more and more responsibility within the commission over the years, Benedict has been the face and voice of CAC’s “The Scoop” blog, and is a 2012 graduate of the Produce Marketing Association’s Emerging Leaders program.
As Online Marketing Director, the commission stated that Benedict will be responsible for planning and execution of CAC’s online programs, including website, social media, blog, email, and related consumer marketing activities.
Becker, as the northwest Retail Marketing Director, will represent CAC to retailers in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain regions, as wells as being responsible for coordinating programs with California avocado packers.
Congratulations to both these industry members on their newest roles.
DELTA, OH - The wait for NatureFresh™ Farms’ OhioRed™ tomatoes is almost over—the company has announced its the very first crop is finally being picked.
“It’s a great day for NatureFresh™ to pick the first crop from a new greenhouse, especially in the middle of winter in Ohio,” shared Peter Quiring, the company’s President.
Announced in January 2015, NatureFresh™Farms’ 180-acre state-of-the-art greenhouse project in Delta, OH allows the company to grow year-round in the mid-west. Since first planting in November the project has picked up steam, and with the increase in hours of sunlight over the coming weeks, crop projections will rise and more Ohio tomatoes will make their way to the market, the company says.
“We continue to receive email & social media messages daily from consumers that are all over the mid-west asking about our new OhioRed™ brand tomatoes and when they will be available,” added Chris Veillon, Director of Marketing.
Given the location of the facility in Ohio and unique nature of greenhouse vegetable growing, the company says it has been getting a great deal of interest from local schools wanting tours of the greenhouse.
“We look forward to educating students from all over the mid-west about greenhouse growing, just like we do with our mobile Greenhouse Education Center,” added Veillon. The company’s #GreenInTheCity Tour kicks off March 31, with the mobile greenhouse scheduled to attend more than 80 events in 2016.
After completing the first phase of its 180-acre greenhouse project in Delta, Ohio, late last year in November, Phase II of 15.30 acres is expected to be completed later this summer, NatureFresh says™. Phase III (15.30 acres) of the greenhouse facility will begin construction late this spring with completion expected in early fall 2016. This brings the company’s total acreage of new construction to 45 acres in Ohio alone in less than 12 months.
For more on the new OhioRed™ brand tomatoes, NatureFresh™ will be displaying them at the SEPC’s Southern Exposure Convention & Tradeshow March 3-5 in Hollywood, FL. The company will be promoting their extensive line of greenhouse grown produce at booth #919.
AUSTIN, TX - The love affair between Whole Foods and Instacart just got a whole lot sweeter. The grocery chain has chosen to both invest in the delivery startup, and sign with it a five-year partnership to exclusively deliver its fresh products, according to news source Recode.net.
Whole Foods and Instacart have been partners since September 2014, with customers collectively saving 970,000 hours in that first 12 months by shopping with Instacart. Fresh produce, the company said, consisted of more than 40 percent of all Whole Foods Market shopping baskets delivered by Instacart. The top five most frequently purchased products over the past year were bananas, avocados, carrots, lemons, and limes.
“Our customers clearly love having this convenient shopping option, and Whole Foods Market will continue to provide our shoppers with innovative new choices that deliver great shopping experiences and help make their lives easier,” said Walter Robb, Co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, in a press release.
Analysts believe this move may be in an effort to gain a higher percentage of millennial shoppers, who typically are the main users of the service. This is on top of Whole Foods expansion of its new 365 by Whole Foods Market chain, which is lower-priced for millennial consumption.
For more on the developing retail delivery landscape, keep checking in with AndNowUKnow.
EDEN PRAIRIE, MN - C.H. Robinson has been named in Fortune Magazine’s 2016 World’s Most Admired Companies for the second consecutive year, and was the largest third-party logistics (3PL) company recognized in the Trucking, Transportation, and Logistics industry sector.
“It’s an honor to be recognized on Fortune’s prestigious list for a sixth time,” C.H. Robinson CEO John Wiehoff, said, according to a press release. “Our smart people, processes, and ever-evolving technology ensures that we are able to see things differently and connect the world. We stand committed to our employees, customers and contract carriers – all those who have helped keep us on this prestigious list.”
It is a title the company has obtained six times since 2010 as it continues its trajectory for growth, which it added it is well poised to continue to build upon.
In fact, C.H. Robinson added that it scored significantly high in the categories of both innovation and global competitiveness. It also enhanced its previous scores in every other category, including the following:
- Long-term investment
- Financial soundness
- Quality of service
- People management
The good news for the company doesn’t stop with Fortune’s recognition, with the announcement coming on the heels of its also having been named in for Inbound Logistics Magazine’s top 3PL for the fifth year in a row, recognized by influential customers like Walmart and Kraft Foods as one of the top logistics providers.
VALENCIA, CA - Sunkist Growers is celebrating not only its sixth consecutive billion-dollar revenue year, but also a milestone in its history for grower payments.
For the first time, Sunkist was able to issue grower payments of over a billion dollars for two consecutive years back-to-back.
“Sunkist has made many advancements to keep the cooperative well-positioned in the current business environment and last year’s results demonstrate the positive impact of those improvements,” Russell Hanlin, Sunkist’s President and CEO, said in a press release. “We made our third distribution to growers in 2015, and are committed to increasing these distributions annually. This program was accomplished through an effective cost containment plan and revenues from our for-profit businesses.”
In fact, the cooperative’s Grower Distribution program is one of its more notable changes in the past few years.
“The positive changes and growth we have achieved in recent years have been accomplished with the leadership and dedication of Sunkist’s Board of Directors, chaired for the past five years by Mark Gillette,” Hanlin added. “His commitment and leadership has been instrumental to our organization, and we are thankful for his valuable contributions to Sunkist.”
Sunkist’s licensing program and global sourcing business has continued to escalate, having now grown to 49 licensees in total and used by the organization to market approximately 700 products in 77 countries.
Also among those positive changes, the company noted its juice processing joint venture with Ventura Coastal, now in its fourth year, which has yielded positive results.
“All of these businesses continue to contribute to positive revenue streams and also help strategically position Sunkist for future growth,” Hanlin said.
Keep checking in with AndNowUKnow as we continue to follow that growth through 2016 and beyond.
CORONA, CA - To keep up with both growing demand for organics and doubled Crystal Cove Strawberries sales growth, Veg-Fresh Farms is welcoming two industry veterans to its team. Dan Kerrigan, with melon growers Joe Del Bosque of Delbosque Farms and Berj Moosekian of Azhedarian, V.H., & Co., Inc. in tow, will be joining the Good Life Organic Melon program. Ray Iwamoto will be joining the Crystal Cove Berry department.
Kerrigan, who has split his time for 23 years working summers for Turlock Fruit Co. Inc. and 20 winters with Bay Area Produce Inc., is expected to continue his relationship with Bay Area Produce as he helps to expand the Veg-Fresh Organic melon program. Organic melons in combination with conventional Three Star Brand cantaloupe will ship starting June through October, according to a press release.
"The demand for the Good Life Organic program, Delbosque, and Three Star Organic melons is growing rapidly and we feel fortunate to have talent like industry veteran Kerrigan working closely with Anthony Innocenti and the Good Life Organic team,” said Dino Cancellieri Jr., Partner at Veg Fresh Farms. "The addition of top notch growers like Joe Del Bosque and Azhederian Farms strengthens our offering and supports our vision of having one of the premier organic programs in the nation."
Ray Iwamoto was also recruited by Veg-Fresh following a year of Crystal Cove Strawberries doubling its sales. Steve Circle, the company’s current Director of Sales for Berries, worked with Iwamoto when he was a District Manager at Sunrise Growers, saying he would be a perfect fit for the team.
“Ray and I worked together for eight years, and I knew at the rate we were growing, it wouldn’t be long before I would come knocking to bring him aboard,” Circle added. “Ray has extensive knowledge in production, field conditions, grower relationships and sales, he’ll be a huge asset for Crystal Cove Berry Farms.”
Randy Cancellieri, another Partner at Veg-Fresh Farms says Iwamoto’s 23 years in retail and his strawberry expertise are a valuable addition to the workforce.
“When we hire people like Ray Iwamoto we get the best of both worlds; he broadens our company’s retail experience, and he brings the growing and sales side expertise,” Cancellieri explained in a statement.
Veg-Fresh Farms is a third generation family-run agribusiness, currently providing fresh produce under the Veg-Fresh Farms, Crystal Cove, and Good Life Organic™ labels.
VANCOUVER – Envy apples are going pro with world-class touring rugby side Aptoella Angels.
Comprised of past and aspiring Canadian national rugby squad members, the Angels play locally and internationally in rugby sevens competitions. The players are highly visible as advocates for other young women athletes, according to a press release. As David Nelley, Executive Category Director, Apples and Pears for Oppy, Envy’s exclusive North American marketer, explains, the brand couldn’t be a more perfect fit as the Angels’ new sponsor.
“The Angels are ideal ambassadors for Envy apples,” said Nelley. “They are strong, talented individuals who give freely to their communities as coaches, teachers and mentors, while also playing at a very high level in an intensely demanding sport.”
Oppy is currently running a social media campaign that aligns the Envy apple brand with an active lifestyle, which identifies well with the Angels’ healthy, competitive vibe and their dedicated following.
“The Angels fit well in our ongoing #EarnYourEnvy social media campaign, where we ask our friends and fans to show us the challenges they undertake to ‘earn’ the special treat of an Envy apple,” Nelley continued. “We’re positioning it as an apple worth working for, a worthwhile reward for a hard effort. The Angels support the #EarnYourEnvy campaign by integrating the apple into their regular diets and workout recovery.”
Barbara Mervin, captain of the Aptoella Angels, also went on to say how fitting the brand’s positive message of healthy eating and being active is for the team.
“Nutrition is important, and when you train hard and play hard, getting it right is vital,” she said. “Apples are a natural and convenient source of carbohydrates and vitamins essential to recovery, so Envy is a perfect fit after a tough training session or post game.”
The Aptoella Angels, Powered by Envy Apples, will participate in a tournament associated with the World Rugby Sevens Series in Vancouver in early March, matching them with top Nations sevens sides.
“We’re excited to introduce the team on the international stage in March, right in Oppy’s hometown where Envy apples are fairly well established,” said Nelley.
The Angels plan to stage rugby clinics for young athletes and play in Envy kit throughout the U.S. and Canada all year long.
“Each of the Angels has a love for rugby and an appreciation for what the sport has done for their lives,” said Nelley. “They are role models in their communities and strong, talented women. Their association with the Envy brand will create positive associations for the apple, through the examples that they set and their passion for what they do.”
To learn more about Envy apples, click here, and if you get the chance, don’t miss these athletes in action.
BELLINGHAM, WA – The auction for Haggen’s core stores has been postponed yet again.
For the third consecutive time, the struggling grocery chain has rescheduled its auction – this time, on Friday, March 11, according to court documents. The auction will be held at the law offices of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP in New York City at 6:00 am PST, according to the Bellingham Herald.
As before, no reason was given for this unexpected delay.
The auction, which calls for the sale of Haggen’s 33 core stores, was originally scheduled on February 5 and was pushed back to February 11. It was then delayed even further to February 22.
The Bellingham Herald reports that the qualified bidders for the auction have yet to be revealed. Whoever does end up with the stores – an investor or buyer – has the option to keep the brand or convert it to another.
As we previously reported, the stores being auctioned are those that Haggen deemed most strong and profitable. The company was given permission by the courts to auction these stores in mid-December 2015.
We will continue to follow any further developments as this story progresses.
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA – Smugglers have once again attempted to deliver illegal substances through innocent fresh victims, this time from Colombia to the Bahamas and Greece.
Colombian authorities seized 339 kilos (about 747 pounds) of cocaine earlier this month in two separate shipments of bananas, according to a report by the Latin American Herald Tribune.
Officials said they noticed several irregularities in the fruit shipment that was bound for the Freeport, Bahamas port. Upon closer inspection, the first bout of cocaine was discovered.
The officers stated “329 rectangular packages covered with plastic and adhesive tape” were found to be holding a little more than 327 kilos (just over 720 pounds) of cocaine.
A second, smaller bust was made when looking into a banana shipment intended for the Thessaloniki, Greece port. In this case, agents found more than 11 kilos (nearly 25 pounds) of cocaine.
Both discoveries were made by the authorities of the Santa Maria port in the Caribbean during inspections; however the report did not state the estimated street value of a cocaine discovery of this size.
No arrests or suspects were listed in connection with the smuggling attempts.