SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – A $10 million investment has given precision irrigation management system provider Hortau the extra boost it needs to further its growth in the North American market.
“This recent investment will allow us to continue making our platform better, following our mission to deliver more value for growers,” said CEO Jocelyn Boudreau. “Along with more direct field support, this coming year will see more groundbreaking features added to our hardware and software, such as advanced data analytics tools, powerful dashboards, responsive data reporting as well as new partnerships that will give our platform added versatility.”
The $10 million U.S. investment comes from a group that is led by Advantage Capital Agribusiness Partners, LP (ACAP), and joined by BDC Capital, Inc., and repeat investors Avrio Ventures LP II and Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins, according to a press release.
This is the third major round of financing in the past 20 months for Hortau.
“From the beginning, Hortau has demonstrated innovation in creating solutions for water conservation and drought, all of which provide vital information to farmers,” said Timothy Hassler, Principal at Advantage Capital. “We are excited to kick off the New Year with this additional investment in Hortau and look forward to supporting the company’s growth.”
Hortau’s proprietary irrigation management system and easy-to-use mobile software tells growers how their crops are faring in real time. This plant-centric approach helps detect plant stress using soil tension, ensuring optimal crop growth, and reducing water and energy consumption, and environmental impacts.
“Hortau has built a world-class platform in delivering best-in-class precision agriculture systems to clients,” said Aki Georgacacos, a founding partner of Avrio Capital. “We are thrilled to have secured support from Advantage Capital Agribusiness Partners and BDC as we move to continue to consolidate Hortau’s global leadership position in the sector.”
As we previously reported, Hortau’s smart irrigation management system was recently named to the Global Cleantech 100 Companies to Watch list, which highlights upcoming companies that are best positioned to solve tomorrow’s technology challenges and have the greatest impact on the market.
Looking forward to the rest of 2016, Hortau anticipates expanding into additional regions and further growing its technical, grower support, and R&D teams.
JACKSONVILLE, FL - Winn-Dixie’s freshened up an old format, both in its look and its offerings. Looking like an entirely new store, this latest launch is the result of a remodel that is speculated to have cost the retailer millions of dollars and took months to complete.
"It's fresher and brighter and more contemporary and I think that it'll appeal to the changing taste of the customers here in Jacksonville,” Ian Mcleod, President and CEO of Winn-Dixie’s parent company Southeastern Grocers, told WOKV.
This is the latest in a series of moves from the company to emphasize produce. As we reported previously, Southeastern Grocers initiated its “Down Down” pricing program, cutting prices on 400 grocery staples, including fresh produce, meat, dairy, and more to make them more accessible to consumers in all its banners, including Winn-Dixie.
Offering fresh ingredients, naturals, and organics, Mcleod told the publication that, if successful, this newest design would act as a pilot for future models, even calling it “the store of the future.”
"People are busy during the day, they're looking for meal solutions, and they're looking for value. We wanted to try and offer that,” Mcleod said of the new strategy.
Winn-Dixie will be utilizing local sources as part of the new practice, including local farms and craft breweries, according to the report.
Located in Bay Meadows, Florida, the new store opened its doors yesterday, Feb. 4th.
Will this set off a new trend for the chain as it looks to meet changing demands? Keep checking in with AndNowUKnow as we follow all the latest retail moves.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that it has imposed sanctions on three produce businesses for failure to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
According to a USDA press release, the following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
- Hart Produce Co. Inc., operating out of Hart, Mich., for failing to pay a $500 award in favor of a Florida seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Jerry A. Brandel and Arthur H. Brandel were listed as the officers, directors, and major stockholders of the business.
- Wichita Food Mart Inc., operating out of Wichita Falls, Texas, for failing to pay a $4,545 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Darrell Taylor was listed as the officer, director, and major stockholder of the business.
- Da Vinci Carriers Inc., operating out of Garden Grove, Calif., for failing to pay a $23,704 award in favor of an Ohio seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, John H. Thompson was listed as the officer, director, and major stockholder 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, the USDA has resolved approximately 3,700 PACA claims involving more than $66 million. Its experts have also assisted more than 7,100 callers with issues valued at approximately $100 million. These are just two examples of how the USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
BERLIN, GERMANY - Bayer has presented its new Food Chain Partnership initiative at Fruit Logistica in Berlin this week, seeking to connect partners along the value chain to help enable safety, quality, affordability, transparency, most importantly, sustainability—all the way from seed to shelf.
"The Food Chain Partnership exemplifies our commitment to sustainable agriculture, food safety, and food security at Bayer,” explained Mathias Kremer, Member of the Executive Committee at the Crop Science Division of Bayer. "In its eleventh year, the initiative continues to yield collaborations across the food chain that benefit not only food chain partners but also ultimately the consumer."
For Bayer, sustainability is an integral part of the company’s business strategies along the entire value chain from growers and processors to traders and retailers, the company shared in the release. Kremer says that is why Bayer focuses on improving resource efficiency in agriculture and offering stewardship and safe-use trainings to mitigate the potential impact on people and environment.
The Food Chain Partnership wasn't the only topic the company addressed at Fruit Logistica. Bayer also noted its work with bee health experts, as well as its cooperation with a banana producer in the Dominican Republic that works according to organic farming principles.
"We offer this partner a high-quality portfolio of biological crop protection products backed by training measures, demo plots and a stewardship program,” explained Silke Friebe, Head of Food Chain Management. "Our partner benefits from a reduced number of product applications, with a clear focus on alternative solutions to tackle black sigatoka, a severe disease threatening banana crops."
Also the host of its own Exhibitor Forum, Bayer invited a series of experts from external partners like Coca Cola, UNIVEG, GlobalG.A.P. and the French owner of the Bayer ForwardFarm Chateau Lamothe, to address key trends and challenges, according to a press release. Each participant helped showcase initiatives like Bayer ForwardFarming, Bayer’s certification tool Bayg.a.p., the company’s efforts to develop digital solutions, and its work to combat citrus greening. Professor Dr. Fred Brouns, Health Food Innovation, Maastricht University, also gave a keynote speech in which he noted the various challenges and needs in food production and how everything is interconnected.
"The growing interest in our sustainability concept at the Fruit Logistica showed once again, that Bayer Food Chain Partnership is a journey of continuous improvement,” said Friebe, who also shared that in addition to the company’s numerous projects in fruit and vegetables, the Food Chain Partnership initiative is currently in the process of being extended to broad-acre crops such as oilseed rape, wheat, and rice.
For more on Bayer and its developing fresh produce programs, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
USA - Earlier this week, WSJ reported that shortage in cauliflower supply is "jacking up prices," with current numbers hitting $8 a head. While cauliflower is all the rage, a shortage in supply is currently not the case. As many notable publications such as the Wall Street Journal and other major media outlets look to keep up, growers want to set the record straight.
Growers tell us that select retail customers have even been running ads such as two heads for $5.00, BOGO's, and $.99 a head, promoting great deals to reengage customers to buy cauliflower.
“Over the last few days there have been a lot of reporting in the news about the increase in consumption and popularity, as well as the ‘high price,’” Mike Antle, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Tanimura & Antle, tells me. “But mainstream media is missing that we have been in surplus since the first of January.”
As we reported recently, the cauliflower market was tight a couple of months ago when cold weather stunted supplies, resulting in some of the highest prices industry members have seen. But once Mother Nature allowed, cauliflower came in leaps and bounds and gave retailers all the promotional volumes they could ask for.
“Right now we’re cutting three or four times normal volume, and retailers are doing a great job of promoting cauliflower and putting it back in the hands of those who normally wouldn’t be able to afford it, re-engaging consumers to take advantage of it being a great versatile product,” Mike adds.
The boost in demand, according to Jason Lathos, Commodity Manager for Church Brothers, can be attributed to warmer weather in the east.
“Cauliflower is one of the most weather sensitive wet veg crops. When Mother Nature increased the temps it increased supplies,” Jason says. “Unfortunately that was smack dab in the middle of the first blizzard on the east coast. Now that the weather has improved on the east coast it has also increased demand on cauliflower, so the market is starting to improve.”
When discussing some of the local and nationwide reports, Ippolito’s Vice President of Sales, Tami Gutierrez, confirmed that the market is catching up and that location can cause some delay on the reflection of that.
“Supplies are good on cauliflower and the market pricing has leveled off,” Tami shares. “The cauliflower pipeline is full and they will see the retailers adjust soon. Some media outlets are a little behind the curve because they are based on the east coast and without a noticeable retail adjustment in their local market they are going to assume it is still very light.”
This is no longer the case—good news on the promotional front as Valentine’s Day quickly approaches.
For all the latest on core produce markets, keep checking in with AndNowUKnow.
GIG HARBOR, WA - Kroger has made the first step into a new concept focused on fresh produce and high-quality prepared foods with the official opening of its first Main & Vine location in Gig Harbor, WA.
“From the beginning, the focus of Main & Vine has always been centered on the community and fresh, local, and sustainable foods, as well as mainstream grocery items available at affordable prices,” Dann Kohl, Main & Vine’s Store Manager, said in a prepared statement. “Residents now have a space to explore local brands and purveyors, get inspired for their next meal, learn something new at the Event Center or meet up with friends and family in our café area.”
Unlike the usual grocery store setup, Main & Vine has set its focus on highlighting a large selection of produce and healthier bulk items in the center of the store. The center of each Main & Vine location will also include an “Event Center,” to give consumers an area to see programming like cooking demonstrations, food and beverage tastings, and find new recipe ideas and ingredients as part its “What’s for Dinner Tonight” program.
Main & Vine also has several offerings and departments allowing for a one-stop shopping experience, including the following:
- Main & Vine will offer limited run “Surprise & Delight” items – ranging from local to artisan goods such as specialty cheeses and imported wines.
- Prepared foods are available at the Grab & Go wall, and the Gig Harbor Kitchen allows for customers to indulge in daily cooked meals.
- The brew and blend café area serves Cutters Point Coffee Co. offerings along with wine, beer and spirits tastings during select times.
- Located at the store entrance and near customer check out is the mezzanine seating area.
- Accommodating up to 100, the space provides a full panoramic view of the store and allows customers a seating and meeting place.
- The store offers complimentary Wi-Fi and each table in the mezzanine and brew and blend bar includes a charging station.
No more information on future store locations has yet been released, but AndNowUKnow will share with you any updates.
WENATCHEE, WA – CMI has recently launched its 2016 Kanzi® apple season, capitalizing on the late winter months to bring new products and exciting flavors to consumers after the flood of fall crop apples have been sold.
As Don Patella, CMI’s Regional Marketing Director explains, February through April is an ideal time to promote the Kanzi® apple.
“The late winter months have proven to be prime time for emerging varieties like Kanzi®,” he said. “Most local apples are gone and apples like Kanzi® are perfect for bringing fresh sales momentum to the apple category.”
Although distribution of this apple has been fluctuating due to strong demand and limited supply, CMI hopes to turn the situation around as its Kanzi® orchards mature and production increases. The company anticipates seeing a larger supply of Kanzi® apples this year, and subsequently, significant increases in retail distribution.
“Last year Kanzi® distribution jumped by over 30%, with over 2,500 stores selling Kanzi®,” Patella continued. “We expect to see an equally big jump in Kanzi® sales and distribution in 2016.”
Branded apples like Kanzi® are driving incremental sales dollars for retailers, Patella explained. According to a press release, since Kanzi® carries a higher price point than commodity apples, Patella says every consumer that trades up to Kanzi® drives incremental dollars for CMI’s retail partners.
“Last year during February, the category average retail price was $1.58,” he said. “Kanzi® apples had an average retail of $2.12. It’s pretty easy to see how converting customers to premium apples can really boost category performance because Kanzi® sells at a 35% price premium above the category average.”
During the spring and summer months, CMI imports Kanzi® from New Zealand and Chile to build sales with key customers. The company’s import program has proven to be a large success for its customers by breathing life into the category when it is historically stagnant.
YERINGTON, NV - Peri & Sons Farms has announced that its domestic onion farming operation is the first in the U.S. to achieve the SCS Global Services’ Sustainably Grown certification.
"Undergoing this level of commitment to sustainability forced us to scrutinize and evaluate every aspect of both operations―from office to fields to packing sheds,” Pamela Peri, Executive Vice President at Peri & Sons Farms, commented on the years of hard work to attain this achievement. “We firmly believe that the overall benefits to our employees, our community and our customers will be well worth the investment in the long run."
According to a press release, not only is this a milestone achievement in sustainable practices, but it also extends to its entire USDA Organic certified vegetable farming operation, Nevada Fresh Pak, where it grows and ships certified leafy greens and a diverse array of vegetables.
According to the release, the greens are shipped under well-known prepackaged salad brands as well as Peri & Sons Farms' own "Nevada Fresh Pak" label as part of its Locally Grown Organics program.
"We are thrilled that the years of hard work and dedication have brought us to this point. Achieving SCS Global Services' Sustainably Grown certification―one of the most rigorous, voluntary agricultural certifications offered―is just the beginning,” Sara Brinkley, Director of Food Safety and Organic Certification, said. “We will continue to demonstrate our commitment to upholding the highest levels of social and environmental responsibility, worker protection, and product integrity in the years ahead."
This certification acknowledges that Peri & Sons’ operations meet some of the world's highest environmental, social, and economic criteria, which it said required not only a stringent third-party audit, but also an unwavering, company-wide commitment to the mission it represents.
"We congratulate Peri & Sons Farms for this significant accomplishment. Achieving the Sustainably Grown certification is by no means an easy task,” SCS' Founder and CEO, Dr. Stanley Rhodes, said in the release. “This standard is based on comprehensive, science-based criteria aimed at minimizing environmental impacts and providing a safe and healthy work environment. By achieving certification, Peri & Sons Farms demonstrates that it has the processes and management systems in place to grow its products in a sustainable manner."
For the company, the acknowledgment of growing and operating in an environmentally sustainable manner is something three generations in the making, and will continue to be a top priority.
"As a company we are all about being proactive and transparent,” Teri Gibson, Director of Marketing and Customer Relations at Peri & Sons, said, calling this another good chapter in a great company story. “It's just part of our company culture to blaze trails rather than wait for industry mandates. We think that sustainability is becoming an important differentiator in the marketplace and we believe it adds significant value to our brand."
Keeping in mind that practicing agriculture sustainably is about people, planet and profitability, Peri & Sons Farms and Nevada Fresh Pak said it plans to remain fully committed to and exceeding produce-industry.
PIRU, CA - Dave Fausset is on the move.
Previously the Director of Sales for Oxnard, California-based Mission Produce, Dave has joined Fillmore Piru Citrus as the company’s new Vice President of Sales. Dave took a break from his busy day to speak with me about his new role, and what the future holds for the California citrus grower.
“Fillmore Piru Citrus is a amazing company that is well-positioned for growth and expansion,” Dave tells me. “Brett Kirkpatrick and the team here at Fillmore have built a company with an exciting and progressive vision that I will be helping to execute.”
Dave greatly values the 17 years he spent with Mission Produce and now looks to bring the same passion and energy to this position.
“From a sales perspective I will be helping the company with its growth objectives to continue to build Fillmore’s lemon and orange categories,” Dave adds. “I have truly seen this company evolve from afar and I am excited to a part of this next chapter in the company’s story.”
Additionally, Dave will be helping to build and establish new customer relationships, while enhancing and tailoring Fillmore’s business strategies to better fit the coming initiatives.
Dave began his professional career in produce with the help of Ron Araiza who had previously been Mission Produce’s Vice President of Sales before moving to Del Rey where he is now Vice President of Business Development. Ron offered him an internship and the rest, as the say, is history.
Fillmore Piru Citrus currently grows lemons, navel oranges as well as valencias throughout the Ventura County, desert and San Joaquin Valley growing regions.
We'd like to offer our warmest congratulations to Dave on his new role with Fillmore Piru Citrus and look forward to the growth to come.
SINALOA, MX - Due to the support of Sinaloan entrepreneurs in the fields of agriculture and food, the third annual Sinaloa Encanta event taking place on March 11, 2016, will see more than 250 people in attendance.
"I want everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy this event that brings together various links of the industry as a collective cultural space with a mix of culinary abundance, regional music, and a celebration will close with a flourish at night,” says Eduardo Leyson, Chairman of the Board of Sinaloa Encanta in a written statement.
In an effort to promote and encourage the development of the productive power for the region’s agricultural and food sectors, those who are interested are invited to join forces and help lay the groundwork to position Sinaloa as a state of diversity, not only just in its climates and landscapes, but in its historical development and in the wealth of its culture and products.
Starting at 1:00 PM on March 11 at Agrícola San Isidro, in Navolato, Sinaloa, the event will be attended by world-class regional artists. As in the past, the event will help showcase a state with great export potential in vegetables, meat, and seafood, as well as human capital, athletes, artists, scientists, professionals, and more, according to a press release.
Sinaloa Encanta helps to promote social responsibility by donating a percentage of the proceeds to the children of farm workers to provide better education, food, and housing. One example of this is the inclusion of a support center currently under construction in Guasave, Sinaloa.
For more information, and to take a look at videos from previous events, visit http://www.sinaloaencanta.mx/, and for more information about this year’s event please contact Karina Reyes at (667) 715 5830 ext. 102 or by email at [email protected].