CALIFORNIA - California’s snowpack is at 115 percent of the average for this time of year, making it the highest its been in five years since it reached 129 percent in 2011, according to new measurements from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).
Looking back to last April when the state’s Governor Jerry Brown addressed the drought in a press conference, the snowpack had only reached 5 percent of what was average. Thankfully, it seems that the recent El Niño-related storms have been making positive impacts on potential drought relief.
However, DWR officials say the snowpack would have to be at 150 percent of normal by April 1st to ease the four-year drought.
“Our modest increase underscores the fact that we still have a critical water shortage after four-plus years of drought that we don’t know when will end,” said DWR Director Mark Cowin in a written statement. “One look at our low reservoirs tells us that we need a lot more wet weather before summer.”
Along with the comments on California’s snowpack, the DRW also raised its expectations for how much water will be delivered to cities and farms from last month’s 10 percent of what was requested to now 15 percent. The agency measured precipitation at 116 percent of normal in Northern California, where a large number of the state’s reservoirs that supply water to farmers are located.
According to Sacramento’s KCRA3, key reservoirs have already begun to rise, with Lake Oroville in Butte County, the State Water Project's largest reservoir, at 60 percent of its historical average for this time of year.
DWR issues updates on the state’s snowpack monthly, so AndNowUKnow will continue to update you as the situation develops.
UNITED KINGDOM - An investigation by the Grocery Code Adjudicator (GCA) into Tesco’s buying practices has created a rally for farmer support when it comes to business practices, particularly by the Ulster Farmers Union.
“Every business has to make a profit... but power and dominance in the food sector comes with responsibilities, and the GCA report has made that clear,” UFU President Ian Marshall commented, according to the source News Letter.
The investigation responded to questions raised about Tesco and other major retailers acting unfairly within the supply chain as a result of being the local industry's biggest customers, as well as their direct line to the UK’s main market.
In the GCA report, the investigator details that a vast majority of Tesco’s invoices were undisputed. But evidence showed, however, that when a dispute occurred over payments, the retailer would delay or deduct payments that could go for up to as much as two years of the supplier not receiving payment.
“There was also extensive evidence that where payments were otherwise than for goods supplied or there was any disagreement over amounts due, this resulted in Tesco deducting or deferring payment of money that was owed to suppliers for goods supplied. Sometimes this involved significant amounts that were delayed for long periods of time. Even where a debt had been acknowledged by Tesco, the money was sometimes not repaid for over 12 months. I received evidence that some repayments were not made for nearly 24 months and on other occasions the supplier gave up pursuing the amount owed,” the report states.
Click here to see the full investigative report.
“At a disadvantage, farmers pay the price because they are expected to deliver top-quality produce at prices below the cost of production,” Marshall said, adding that the report reflected findings of Tesco applying pressure to suppliers and farmers that forced prices and suppliers’ margins down, resulting in losses for those providers.
Despite the report’s findings, the Guardian reports that Tesco will not be fined by the GSA as a result of the investigation because the breaches of conduct took place before the association had the government’s consent to fine companies up to 1% of its annual revenue, which happened last year.
Keep checking in with AndNowUKnow for all the latest news influencing the produce industry.
POMPANO BEACH, FL – Southern Specialties is now shipping asparagus from Caborca, Mexico.
The year-round supplier is excited to share this season’s asparagus harvest with retailers, emphasizing their excellent quality.
Southern Specialties farms approximately 1,600 acres in the Caborca area, which includes conventional and organic asparagus. Green, white, and seasonally available purple asparagus options are offered for retail, club store, and foodservice customers, according to a press release.
Asparagus is now available at the following FOB shipping points:
- Pompano Beach, Florida
- San Luis, Arizona
- Los Angeles, California
Don’t miss this season’s harvest from Southern Specialties.
OAK BROOK, IL - Cuties clementines are a bet McDonald’s says is paying off.
Last week, the citrus partner came back to the golden arches, and will be available throughout the nation until early May, according to QSR Magazine.
“They were very popular when they were in restaurants previously, and they really are a great compliment to the menu to supplement all of the other wonderful ingredients we have, including apple slices and low-fat yogurt,” Chef Jessica Foust, Director of Culinary Innovation, said, according to the report. “All of this work is really in an effort to build a better McDonald’s.”
Cuties will be available in both the Happy Meals and the a la carte menu, and McDonald’s expressed high hopes that last year’s successful reception will be repeated.
The fast food giant has made many moves in the last year to change its perception in the public eye to a healthier image, including incorporating salad bars, fresher formats, and a host of other tests in foreign markets to find the perfect mix.
“We’ve spent a lot of time over the past year or so really taking a hard look at ingredients, and Cuties fit within our strategy for really delivering quality, fresh, seasonal flavors that our customers feel good about,” Foust said.
Foust called Cuties “nature’s perfect snack,” totaling in 35 calories while bringing in plenty of Vitamin C and do not necessitate much to reach children.
“You don’t have to do anything to it; it’s easier for kids to peel, which is critical,” Foust said. “When you’re trying to get your children to eat more produce items, it’s pretty easy when you have such a great-tasting ingredient to work with.”
According to QSR, only about 17 percent of Cuties purchases were a la carte when McDonald’s first offered them last year, December 2014-March 2015, meaning 83 percent of consumption was through kids’ meals.
As McDonald’s continues to work towards its 2013 pledge with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to increase its fresh produce offerings significantly by 2020, AndNowUKnow will continue to follow this and other partnerships the chain makes to help promote produce consumption.
HOLLYWOOD, FL - How did processed food companies come to dominate the grocery store? I spoke with New York Times investigative reporter and best-selling author of Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us, Michael Moss, to learn just that, as well as even more on his talk at the upcoming Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure conference.
The discussion, which takes place at 10 a.m. on March 4th, will see Michael delving into what the produce industry can do to take on the powerhouse that is the processed foods magnate, he says.
“I’m going to be talking to former insiders from the processed food industry who switched sides, and are now stealing some of their former strategies to help these better-for-you food startups that are heavily interested in using more produce in their products,” Michael tells me during our interview.
One of Michael’s main goals during his Southern Exposure discussion is to help produce companies revamp its marketing practices. We should not only be trying to increase traffic to the produce aisle, he says, but we should also be asking for more fruits in veggies in things such as frozen dinners or canned soups—items that can be found all across the grocery store.
Michael tells me he plans to also touch on former Lunchables creator Bob Drane, and his new partnership to put fresh salads sales into vending machines.
“Bob is helping [the company] to scale up, because that's one of the biggest problems for a new startup venture—they work until they fail,” Michael explains. “Bob is bringing sort of 'hardcore' marketing strategies and thinking to help a better-for-you product like that, and I’ll be talking more about that and showing some pictures as well.”
To hear my entire audio interview with Michael and to learn more about his upcoming talk at SEPC, listen above and visit seproducecouncil.com.
VANCOUVER, CANADA - With the very first Outrageously Fresh mason jar bags rolling off the line this week at SunSelect’s Tehachapi, CA, facility, the company has even bigger plans for the greenhouse section and beyond.
The product of a partnership between SunSelect Produce and mason jar bag-creators Schur Star Systems, Inc, the pack style is being set up to soon contain more than just the greenhouse mini cucumbers, mini peppers, and snacking tomatoes unveiled at Fresh Summit last fall with Oppy and Divemex, says SunSelect Director Reinhold Krahn.
“SunSelect has secured the exclusive rights to Schur’s mason jar bag across several categories in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico,” Krahn explains. “Our discussions with retailers have illustrated the great promise of this pack. We believe it could have enormous influence on how healthy snacks are profitably merchandised at retail and easily enjoyed at home.”
SunSelect offers peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, cherries, red and green grapes, cranberries, apples, kiwifruit, and blueberries, and may potentially extend the jar bag concept to other products, according to a press release. In the coming months, SunSelect and Oppy will offer the concept to producers of many of these items.
“We felt the design would be a great fit for snacking items, and a differentiator on the shelf,” Krahn said of the Schur Jar Bag, which Sun Select discovered at Fruit Logistica last year. “It’s more stable than other packaging options within clamshells and cello bags, and plays on the popularity of home canning and use of mason jars in decorative and useful ways around the house.”
Hans Christian Schur, CEO of the company, shares Krahn’s enthusiasm. “It’s a new venture for us to have a partner in produce,” he said. “The enterprise is based on SunSelect’s desire to differentiate in the fresh category, and Schur’s commitment to deliver a solution to help them achieve that.”
He continued, “Our Schur Star System is very flexible, so SunSelect can run bags of various sizes and its range of associated products on the same machine, undertaking small or large runs, with just a few minutes to change in between. We offer high-quality printing and materials, which makes an enormous difference at the point of sale.”
The press release says that re-sealable Outrageously Fresh mason jar bags include: 10.5-oz, grape, cherry, and gourmet medley tomatoes grown by SunSelect, 14-oz. mini cucumbers, and 1-lb mini peppers grown by Divemex, and are available exclusively from Oppy.
STELLARTON, NS – Claude Tessier, President of Sobeys’ Quebec business unit, has resigned from his position to pursue another opportunity as Chief Financial Officer with Canadian convenience store giant Couche-Tard.
The retail industry veteran got his start at Sobeys in 2003 after joining IGA as Vice President of Finance & Strategic Planning. In 2012, he was promoted to President of the IGA Operations Business Unit. He has held other leadership positions with companies, including Provigo and Costco, gaining more than 15 years of senior financial leadership experience.
Simon Gagné, Sobeys’ Chief Human Resources Officer, will now oversee the company’s Quebec business unit until a replacement for Tessier is found, according to a press release.
“Our leadership team in Quebec, which manages the IGA retail chain as well as other banners throughout the province, will remain focused on advancing the Joy of Eating Better movement and in serving the needs of our customers each and every day,” said Marc Poulin, President and CEO of Sobeys.
On his new role, Tessier said in a written statement that he is excited to join the Couche-Tard family, calling it “one of the true success stories of Quebec.”
“In addition to overseeing the financial, reporting, and investor relations functions in Couche-Tard, I look forward to joining President and Chief Executive Officer Brian Hannasch in evaluating opportunities for further expansion under the new, global Circle K brand,” said Tessier. “I am thrilled at this opportunity to play a part in Couche-Tard’s continuing strategic growth and reaching its goal to become the world’s preferred destination for convenience and fuel.”
Couche-Tard operates 8,006 convenience stores throughout North America.
We will continue to keep track of this story until a new President for Sobeys’ Quebec business unit is announced.
OVIEDO, FL – Duda Farm Fresh Foods and Crunch Pak have joined together to create the extreme snack option for the biggest appetites: X Games 2016 in Aspen, CO.
“Healthy snacking is huge right now – especially for Millennials who view elite athletes as lifestyle role models,” Krista Jones, Director of Brand Marketing and Product Innovation for Crunch Pak, said in a press release. “We have enough name brand awareness that event organizers ask us to participate.”
The two snacking giants will have an entirely new platform to showcase their lines when they provide fresh snacks for the athletes involved in the big event, a tempting draw when they were approached by X Games organizers for the opportunity.
“Duda delivers what Americans want to eat,” Elena Hernandez, Marketing Manager for Duda, said in the release. “More than half of Americans snack two to three times a day. The mission of our company is to offer our products in ways that directly meets the needs of consumers, particularly in the celery category. Consumer research shows us that Millennials are all about the experience and the X Games is a great way to reach them in an environment they’re passionate about.”
The pair’s participation will include donating product to the Athlete Lounge for the athletes to snack on between competitions, as well as sampling a variety of fresh apple and celery snacks with the X Games attendees.
At the event, Duda will be serving its new Dandy® Celery Snack Line, which includes the following ready-to-eat items:
- Celery Sticks in a 1.6-ounce single serve package
- Dandy® celery and peanut butter packs (available in 2.3 ounce and 4.15 ounces) that pairs Naturally Sweeter and Crispier™ celery with a squeezable peanut butter pouch from Peanut Butter & Co®
- Crunchables™ a grab-and-go cup that contains celery sticks with three Ranch-flavored dips or Peanut Butter.
In turn, Crunch Pak will offer a variety of its single serve snacks including:
- Snackers featuring licensing partners Marvel and the NBA
- Dipperz
- Foodles
- 2-ounce mini bags
While their first time at this event, it isn’t the first time the companies have partnered to reach new audiences; previously the two teamed up to sponsor events for media representatives and food bloggers.
The X Games will take place later this week, Jan. 28-31.
MIAMI, FL - As Continental Fresh moves into peak season for Honduran cucumbers and butternut squash, the company is not only reporting consistent quality and a high market, but also, a personal cause close to the heart of its team.
President and CEO Albert Perez took a few minutes to sit down with me and discuss the latest on the Honduran season and what his LIFO Missions project is all about.
“Right now we are in peak season for cucumbers and butternut squash and will be for the next six weeks,” Albert tells me. “Overall, the crop this year has done very well, but with some shortages in Mexico due to El Niño, we have had stronger pricing on our Honduran cucumbers and butternut squash.”
Continental Fresh also recently announced a new and fully implemented, case-level labeling and traceability system and is applying its Produce Traceability Initiative-compliant labels on each of its Atlas Fresh cucumber and winter squash cases from Honduras.
Along with cucs and squash, the company also imports mangos and seedless watermelons during the year, servicing retail, wholesale, and foodservice clients throughout the U.S.
Involved in the offshore produce industry for almost 30 years, Albert spent much of his earlier career travelling throughout Central America, translating for growers and marketers. It wasn’t until nine years ago that he opened Continental Fresh, bringing together an entire team of individuals made up of people who have also worked in offshore business for a long time.
“Our grower partners are also part of our close knit family and I have known a lot of them for most of my life,” Albert says. “We do not have your typical grower and marketer relationship. That difference helps to define who we are.”
While Albert looks to grow his partnerships and also to continue to provide consistent and quality produce, he is also looking to make a difference for those less fortunate. Thirty-one years ago, Albert founded the grassroots, non-profit organization, LIFO (Living Instruments For Others), a Miami-based volunteer group led by Albert and his friend Alfred Consuegra. The organization focuses on bringing Dominican Republic communities access to clean drinking water, sanitation resources, and healthcare.
Albert and Alfred went on their first volunteer trip to the Dominican Republic when they were 16 to work on a similar project, and the difference they made had a huge impact on both of them. This experience motivated their first steps in establishing their own program to rally those in support of the cause and bring the much-needed help to those without the resources many take for granted.
Albert is also a board member of Blue Missions Group, a younger organization like LIFO, which was created by one of the students that Albert worked with at LIFO.
“We work in unison to accomplish the same goals, and our hope is not only to get more young people involved, but the produce industry as well,” Albert says. “There are still lots of places that don’t have access to clean, running water and we are committed to solving this issue, one project at a time.”
Every summer, Albert and his team physically work on these projects and immerse themselves in the experience and the culture. The next LIFO trip is in July, but trips are also available from May to August with Blue Missions Group.
“It is immediately gratifying to see people get clean drinking water in their towns for the first time. The experience is something you will never forget,” he adds.
As the year gets underway, Albert looks to continue developing his brand and his philanthropic endeavors. As Albert says, both are in their own ways impactful. We look forward to bringing you more from Albert and his team at Continental Fresh, so stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
CAMBRIDGE, UK – A new robotic contender has stepped into the ring, promising a “radical new system design that is poised to disrupt the industry,” or so says Cambridge Consultants.
Designed to handle complex tasks such as picking and sorting, Cambridge Consultants’ robotic technology brings a gentle touch when it comes to fresh produce. Combining high-powered image-processing algorithms and low-cost sensors, like Microsoft’s Kinect, the soft, custom-made gripper “claw” adapts to the shape of the fruit and holds onto it without damaging it.
A demonstration of the machine can be viewed below. As you can see, the robot’s software identifies which piece of fruit is on top of the bowl. It then translates that information into real world coordinates that tell the robot how to position its hand so that it can pick the designated fruit without disturbing the other objects around it. The robot can then sort the fruit by color after it is picked.
In a recent interview with Reuters, Chris Roberts, Cambridge Consultants’ Head of Industrial Robotics, gave a few more details about the inner workings of this gripper.
“The gripper has got a sensor inside it so it can sense the pressure of the vacuum tubes as they close around the fruit. And by only applying a vacuum to the ones that gripped, the ones where there’s a seal, we can spread the pressure across the fruit so we’re not bruising it but we still apply a consistent pressure that allows us to pick up heavier objects.”
The technology behind this machine is reminiscent of a similar robot we covered in a previous story, which also uses rubbery-textured tubes to effectively grab produce items without damaging them.
The biggest challenge now, Cambridge Consultants says, is in figuring out how the robot can work and adapt in an environment that is constantly changing. But it’s a problem worth solving to boost productivity from the field to the warehouse.
“The robot system demonstrates what is possible when you bring together experts from different fields to solve a problem,” Roberts continued. “We’ve combined our programming, electronics, and mechanical engineering expertise with our machine vision and robotics skills to demonstrate the kind of smart system that could transform a variety of industrial and commercial processes.”
It may be awhile before we see these types of robots in wide commercial usage, but given what we’ve seen so far, it looks to be a promising endeavor.