NORTHEAST U.S. – The Northeastern region of the United States is still reeling after it was pummeled with heavy winds and anywhere between 2 to 3 feet of snow this past weekend.
It goes without saying that transportation across the mid-Atlantic was at a complete standstill with travel bans implemented and near zero visibility throughout the region. Some motorists were reported to be trapped on the roads for more than 24 hours as officials and emergency crews tried desperately to get ahead of the storm, according to AccuWeather. Thankfully, however, the weekend storm was not as bad as it could have been for produce shipments on the road if it were to have occured on a weekday instead.
"Everything seems to be up and running now, and local retailers on the East Coast did not have to go drastic measures to ensure product was delivered in a timely manner," said Gerald Ebert, Richmond Office Manager with Allen Lund Company. "Because the storm happened over the weekend, there wasn’t that big of an impact on produce transportation on the roads compared to what it would look like if the blizzard hit on an average weekday.”
“We saw a better response and better preparation by cities and states, and we commend them on their ability to work under such conditions," said Kenny Lund, Vice President of Support Operations for Allen Lund. "It’s tough work, but the snow plows and the people dealing with the snow did a great job.”
As we previously reported, some of the affected areas included Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas.
Though the travel ban in Washington, D.C. and New York was lifted on Sunday, authorities advise that it’s going to be a long week ahead as the cleanup efforts begin.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser told residents that there would be “several days of cleanup ahead of us,” and that “we’re going to be dealing with snow all of this week,” CNN reports.
It’s expected to take days to clear the roads of snow, but AccuWeather reports that “calm and dry conditions will aid those digging out from the storm” and significant flooding from the melting snowpack is not expected. Still, it is advised that travelers remain cautious as the melted snow will freeze on roads, causing slippery conditions.
On the bright side, some operations are already returning back to normalcy. For what it’s worth, some produce wholesalers like the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market, were open on Sunday, warning customers to travel safely.
For any further updates regarding the snowstorm, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
BELLINGHAM, WA - After a quiet stretch, Albertsons and Haggen have reportedly managed to close out a billion dollar lawsuit at just over $5 million.
The two chains exchanged some heavy public fire last summer with back-and-forth legal accusations before quieting down and, seemingly, settling their differences outside of court.
As we previously reported, Haggen filed action against Albertsons, from whom it had bought 146 stores in 2014, when Albertsons was looking to buy the Safeway banner. Haggen was seeking just over $1 billion from Albertsons for allegedly having sabotaged its expansion into new markets and making misleading remarks to influence its decision to buy more than a hundred Albertsons and Safeway stores.
Despite the lawsuit coming shortly after Albertsons had filed action against Haggen for more than $40 million in past due inventory for 32 acquired stores, Albertsons has agreed to settle Haggen’s action by paying $5.75 million, according to the Portland Business Journal.
When Haggen filed with the court back in August of 2015, Albertsons called the allegations “completely without merit” and that the chain would “vigorously defend ourselves in court.”
Since then, however, the retailers having been doing business back and forth in the wake of Haggen’s selling off nearly all of its assets after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, including Albertsons having purchased a number of Haggen stores at auction and agreeing to hire back hundreds of workers that had gone to Haggen with the sale of the initial 146 stores.
It was not addressed if Albertsons’ inventory lawsuit was included in the settlement.
LEAMINGTON, ON - Orangeline Farms has launched a new tool to help consumers learn about the company’s Zing! Healthy Foods™ business and its focus on healthy living—zinghealthyfoods.com.
As first generation farmers and local entrepreneurs transforming their family-owned business, brothers Duffy and Jordan Kniaziew are seeking to use this new website to position themselves as a cutting-edge operation in the heart of Canada’s premier growing region.
“Starting as a small family-owned farm, we’re proud of how far we’ve come,” said Jordan Kniaziew, VP of Sales and Marketing for Zing! Healthy Foods. “We started from humble beginnings, and it’s really our passion that brought us this far – we wanted our website to reflect that.”
The company’s dynamic website takes consumers on an interactive journey using a virtual bike tour through the company’s history, according to a press release. And even beyond the history, users can see health facts for peppers, strawberries and runner beans, and new ways to enjoy each.
“We want our customers to have a better understanding of what we do. They’ll see how excited we are about the Zing! brand and our products, and hopefully get to know us a little better,” continued Kniaziew.
On top of growing the company’s online presence, the Kniaziew family has also announced that Orangeline Farms will be hiring and adding to the Zing! Healthy Foods team.
“We want to engage the community in the exciting things happening in our industry and the jobs we are creating” added Kniaziew. “We are proud of the growth we continue to see, and the impact it has on the region”.
For more on Orangline’s growing team and to see the new Zing! Healthy Foods website for yourself, visit zinghealthyfoods.com.
OVIEDO, FL & OXNARD, CA - As we make our way through this first month of 2016, Duda Farm Fresh Foods and Mission Produce have teamed up for their Super Fresh Game Day Sweepstakes, which taps into both the Big Game and healthy eating resolutions.
“Duda and Mission are the perfect match for a promotion like this. Both avocados and celery are game day staples and it helps that the most guacamole consumed for a single event is unquestionably during the Big Game period,” Nichole Towell, Director of Marketing for Duda, tells me. “Not only is this a great promotional period, but the data and feedback we are collecting from consumers will help us offer better insights and smarter recommendations to our retail partners.”
Along with entering their contact information to win prizes, entrants are also asked to share background info on where they shop and what they like. This promotion is about more than simply getting the brand out there, it is also about helping Mission and Duda gain more knowledge on key demographics and regions.
Duda and Mission are offering consumers a chance to win a Samsung 50" LED Smart TV during each week leading up to the game, with just a couple of weeks left. Consumers can also win a box of Mission avocados plus a year’s supply of free Dandy® celery. This is of course in addition to making plenty of tailgating dreams come true with the snack and recipe ideas. The two companies have also been providing "super fresh" recipe emails featuring 2 recipes to make game day experiences even better with creations featuring celery and avocado.
LeighAnne Thomsen, Marketing Manager for Mission Produce tells me, "It is turning out to be a great opportunity to bolster our social media campaigning and connect in a meaningful way with consumers. We’re looking forward to continuing a conversation about fresh produce and Mission avocados with our new connections.”
“So far the entries have surpassed our expectations with north of 20,000 entries and growing,” Nichole adds.
While the team you are rooting for may not be a sure thing for the Big Game ring, at least you’ll know that Duda and Mission are helping to make the experience a flavorful one.
For me, I am a Peyton fan all the way.
EAST COAST - The East Coast woke up to winter at its strongest this morning, with 30 million people under either blizzard watches or warnings.
With some areas seeing anywhere from 24 to 30 inches of snow, this blizzard is not being taken lightly, according to Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
“It has life and death implications, and [people] should treat it that way,” Bowser cautioned D.C. locals, according to a CNN report. “People should hunker down, shelter in place and stay off the roads.”
Some of the areas affected include:
- Washington D.C.
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Tennessee
- Delaware
- New Jersey
- New York
- Georgia
- Florida
- The Carolinas
Advance Customs Brokers & Consulting LLC announced that it is currently monitoring the blizzard, and currently expects it to impact cargo in major cities into Monday, Jan. 25th.
“Heavy snow is expected to fall across fifteen states with blizzard-like conditions over New York State for the next three days,” the company said in a press release. “The storm is likely to impact and cause delays in the ability to dispatch, deliver and pick-up cargo on Monday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Newark, New Jersey and Brooklyn, New York.”
Airlines have also canceled more than 5,300 flights Friday and Saturday, according to CNN, as well as power outages for thousands.
"There's more to this storm than just the snow and ice that we're predicting," CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam, commented, with fellow CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers calling it a “direct hit.”
Currently the heaviest hits are anticipated this afternoon, eastern time, with snowfall going into tomorrow, Jan. 22nd. AndNowUKnow will continue to monitor the situation as more details develop.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - Peppers are getting a spotlight today for anyone who seeks to Google.
In celebration of Wilbur Scoville’s 151st birthday, the Internet giant’s “Google Doodle” presents a fun but informative mini pepper game right in its browser window.
Between trying to throw ice cream to help a few peppers chill out, users are given some fun pepper trivia like the fact that the jalapeno was the first pepper to go to space, and what the Scoville Scale is.
With an average of 40,000 search queries every second, according to the company’s internet live stats (click here to watch them in real-time), adding up to more than 3.5 billion searches per day around the world, that is a lot of eyes on peppers today.
Go to Google to play for yourself, and pass it on for a little Friday Fun at the office!
We at AndNowUKnow certainly did.
PHOENIX, AZ - With yet another step in increasing its store footprint, Sprouts Farmers Market has announced an additional eleven new locations scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2016.
Each location will bring up to 100 additional jobs to their respective communities, the company said in a press release. The grand opening dates for each unit will be announced later this year, but the company mentioned it has scheduled openings for April, May, and June.
The newly announced Sprouts locations include:
- Allen, TX - 1265 W. Exchange Pkwy.
- Denton, TX - 4930 Teasley Ln.
- Duluth, GA - 2220 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Suite 200
- Los Angeles, CA - 2245 Yosemite Dr.
- Loveland, CO - 1440 E. Lincoln Ave.
- Oklahoma City, OK - 12200 N. MacArthur Blvd, Suite C
- Overland Park, KS - 9620 Nall Ave.
- Queen Creek, AZ - 21181 S. Ellsworth Loop Rd.
- Roseville, CA - 2030 Douglas Blvd., Suite 9
- San Clemente, CA - 550 Camino de Estrella, Unit C
- Vestavia Hills, AL - 1031 Montgomery Highway, Suite 101
This announcement follows the company’s recent trend of announcing nearly a dozen new stores with the arrival of each quarter. Last quarter in October, Sprouts announced twelve new locations: five stores in California, two stores in Georgia and Colorado, and one store each in Texas, Tennessee, and Missouri.
New stores have clearly been a recipe for success for the retailer when you investigate recent financial reports. Most recently in Q3 2015, Sprouts’ sales increased 18% to $903.1 million compared to the same period last year, driven by a 5.8% increase in comparable store sales and solid performance in new stores.
“Sprouts’ commitment to health and value continues to resonate with customers seeking fresh, natural, and organic products at great prices, driving 34 consecutive quarters of positive comparable store sales growth,” Sprouts’ CEO Amin Maredia said in a press release last following the successful report.
For more on Sprouts’ expansion plans as they continue develop, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
FRESNO, CA – Lotpath Inspector, an innovative fresh produce inspection app, is now available for iPhone and Android smartphones and tablets.
Software provider Lotpath expanded the availability of the mobile app in response to produce companies beginning to implement BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies. The first version of Lotpath Inspector was created exclusively for iPad devices, but the company has completely rebuilt the app so that it would now work on nearly every mobile device.
As CEO Mike Dodson explained, this marks a major milestone for the company.
“Our goal was to make Lotpath Inspector work well on almost every mobile device. To do that, we have to support a wide variety of screen sizes and multiple mobile operating system versions. It was a major undertaking,” Dodson said in a press release. “We’re pretty excited to get the new version out into our customers’ hands. In 2016, we expect to see a lot more QC people and produce inspectors using Lotpath Inspector in the produce industry.”
To download the app, click on one of the appropriate links for your device below:
Download Lotpath Inspector for iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch
Download Lotpath Inspector for Android smartphones and tablets
Download Lotpath Inspector for Amazon Kindle tablets
The app is designed to give produce companies an easier, more efficient way to monitor product quality as it flows through the supply chain. New users are required to register for a no-obligation free trial before using the app by visiting: http://tryquality.lotpath.com
MEXICO - Colder weather out of Mexico’s growing regions is making for a tight cucumber market in the region, with growers noting an increase in price.
A few stormy weeks in the beginning of January brought both cloudy days and cold weather, slowing production enough to make a dent in supply.
“The cucumber market is higher than normal due to cold temperatures in the growing areas,” Jerry Havel, Director of Sales for Fresh Farms, tells me. “Temperatures have been below average from Culiacan to Guymaus, causing a slow-down in production from Mexico.”
That decrease in supply married with very good demand and great quality has made for an increase in price, Jerry continued.
However, it looks like the market will be coming back to earth soon, Matt Mandel, COO for SunFed shared with me.
“While the market has been higher, most of the supplies are now coming from Sinaloa, which has had somewhat better weather as of late,” Matt said. “This means supplies and markets will be normalizing.”
J&J Family of Farms’ Marketing Manager Christy Cunningham also echoed reports of an increase in prices for cucumbers. “The USDA’s higher pricing seems to be on track,” she says. “We would agree that this season Cucumber prices seem higher than normal.”
The company, which is currently growing cucumbers off shore from Mexico and Honduras, says this may change as they turn to grow in Florida come March.
AndNowUKnow will continue to update you on changes in pricing as the season continues, so stay tuned for more.
ORLANDO, FL - The National Mango Board (NMB) is welcoming a new member to its retail team. Retail and wholesale produce veteran Tim Beerup will be joining the company as its Central Region’s new Retail Account Manager.
Beerup will be working with retailers in the central region of the U.S., with a territory that spans from Texas up through the midwestern states. He, like the rest of the retail team at NMB, will work with the company’s retail partners that include everyone from large players, to mid-sized chains, to smaller ethnic retailers who move big mango volumes.
“Tim comes to the NMB with a wealth of experience and retail knowledge, making him a great addition to our retail team,” explained Rachel Muñoz, NMB’s Director of Marketing, in a statement. “We are confident that Tim will play a key role in strengthening our team and continuing implementing high quality solutions to help our retail partners move more mangos across the U.S.”
NMB says its retail team’s mission is to keep mangos top of mind and help retailers move more mangos year-round, according to a press release. Responsibilities for Beerup will now include setting up promotions with retailers, helping to train store level and warehouse associates on mango handling and merchandising practices, providing point-of-sale (POS) materials, delivering consumer and industry research data, and highlighting opportunities that retailers might be missing.
Katie Manetti will continue to work with retailers in the western region, Cece Krumrine will represent the NMB in the Northeast, and Wendy McManus will continue to work with retailers in the southeastern states.