WENATCHEE, WA - Retailers across the country are partnering with U.S. KIKU® apple growers for the “KIKU® for Kicks” promotion, encouraging consumers to pair soccer with the fruit brand.
Along with the promotion, Don Patella, Regional Marketing Director for CMI, added that there will be an in-store contest, making retail partners excited to support local youth, as well as reward produce associates. “We have designed an in-store contest to run parallel to the consumer KIKU® for Kicks promotion. The contest will be tailored to fit each retailer’s needs, and will be based on volume sold or display contests.”
As part of each sponsorship, the company said that the KIKU® alliance will help support local soccer clubs with donations under their retail partners’ names for necessities like:
- Team jerseys
- Soccer balls
- Coolers
- KIKU® brand apples
- Funds to help throw an end-of-season party for the team
In-store retail prizes will include a number of popular items, including Swagway hoverboards and electronics.
CMI added that with the current expansion of the apple category niche apples like KIKU® brand apples continue to be key to both fighting category deflation and satisfying consumer demand.
“In coordination with our alliance partners, Rice Fruit Company and Applewood Orchards, CMI is opening this promotion up to all of our retail partners,” Katharine Grove, Marketing Specialist for CMI, said in the release. “It assists our retailers’ charitable efforts by supporting one of their local soccer teams, all the while creating some excitement within the produce department with in-store displays and promotional merchandise.”
“KIKU® for Kicks” looks to attract consumers to try KIKU® brand apples, support healthy eating and an active lifestyle while also helping local soccer programs.
YUMA, AZ - There is no more temperamental factor in the produce industry than Mother Nature, yet resilience is key. Growers in Yuma continue to produce yield despite weather continuing to present a challenge, JV Smith Companies President and CEO Vic Smith and GreenGate Fresh Executive Vice President Bill Munger shared.
“Our quality and supply are improving each week and we should have fair supplies for Christmas pull,” Vic tells me, despite its having been a temperamental transition to the desert this year. “We seem to have worked through most of the issues of the prior three weeks but cauliflower still appears to be an endangered species.”
JV Smith Companies is well into its Yuma season, with additional support in the heart of the Baja, Mexico’s growing region. Currently the company is shipping lettuce, romaine, broccoli, baby spinach, spring mix, arugula, various herbs and green onions.
GreenGate is also settled into Yuma, with iceberg and romaine lettuce, and Bill tells me that though freezes have been making the season more eventful, it is mostly on the production side that the struggles are noted.
“The frost affects the leaves, which slows us down in the processing facility and in the field when harvesting,” Bill explains, adding that the result is mostly more time trimming off the leaves that are affected and leaving more leaves behind. “The product that gets to the processing plant is still good, usable product, and from the customer’s end it’s the same quality product.”
This could become more frequent, however, as we head into a period of cooler-than-normal-weather, which both cautioned could result in supplies being on the lighter side after the Christmas push.
“Frost damage has affected both quantity and quality, on iceberg we’re seeing reduced yields on the field level of about 20%,” Bill explained of what GreenGate has seen in combatting the cold.
Another factor growers continue to keep in mind is what El Niño could bring, though it looks as though this has not yet affected the fields in Yuma.
“We have yet to experience any real El Niño activity which is obviously imminent,” Vic says.
In fact, the storms El Niño is supposed to bring aren’t expected to hit for a while, which Bill said should have little impact as everything to be planted in Yuma will have been planted by the first of the year.
“By the first of the year anything in Yuma that will be planted will be planted, so any effect El Niño will have is short-term on whether or not we can harvest that day,” Bill said, adding that the more profound effects will be in the spring.
For now it is safe to say that prices have fallen since Thanksgiving, which Bill said were up to $30-35 a box for Romaine at the time, and to anticipate a tightening in supply for the weeks to come. He shared with me, however, that the pricing patterns in the market are only partially dependent on that, with other factors contributing to the numbers. “If it was strictly supply and demand we could see some elevated prices, but there’s a lot of other things - demand around the country, how is product moving around the country, and then quality.”
With more freezes projected for the area, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we keep our finger on the pulse in Yuma.
KEENE, NH – C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. has acquired Fresno, California-based FreshKO Produce Services, Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The wholesale grocery supply company said in a press release that it plans to incorporate FreshKO and its 142 employees to the C&S Family of Companies to further its commitment in expanding its fresh and organic produce business.
“FreshKO has built a highly successful service model that supports retailers in providing their customers with the best produce the region has to offer at competitive prices,” said Rick Cohen, C&S Chairman and CEO. “The FreshKO team’s deep customer relationships and level of expertise in this market make this partnership ideal.”
Founded in 2002 by wholesale produce veterans Randal Shepherd and Manny Robles, FreshKO sources and distributes over 625 fresh fruits and vegetables to independent grocery stores, chains, retailers, and restaurants throughout the West Coast.
The business will now operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of C&S Wholesale Grocers under its FreshKO brand.
MEMPHIS, TN - At its inaugural Digital Marketing University for Produce Professionals, Idea Garden Marketing took industry members through a six-week online academy on how to connect with target audiences and increase sales through the use of digital marketing.
“Our first 6-week course of Digital Marketing University for Produce Professionals was a great success,” said John Avola, CEO of Idea Garden Marketing and program course instructor. “Our goal was to help educate the produce industry on digital marketing and based on the positive feedback we received and how valuable the students found our materials, we’ve already started preparing for the next series of classes.”
With topics covering everything from social media, digital advertising, website best practices, search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, and analytics, graduates of Idea Garden Marketing’s program now have the skills to use digital marketing strategies to reach and engage with shoppers, increase conversations, and measure their return on investment, the company says in a press release.
“I really enjoyed the course content and the presentations over the past 6 weeks,” shared one graduate. “I am now better able to understand the digital marketing world and how to better market our company’s products as well as inform consumers of our history as a company. Excellent course!”
Mike Prather of Flavor-Pic Tomato Co. was another graduate who shared just what he found so valuable about the Digital Marketing Course.
“The materials covered opened our eyes to greater marketing possibilities, and having it in a webinar format allowed participation with my whole staff,” Prather said.
Missed the boat this time around? Idea Garden Marketing plans to open the second semester of Digital Marketing University for Produce Professionals in the spring of 2016.
ATLANTA, GA - Volm Companies has had an exciting year of introducing products to make packing easier on suppliers, and President and CEO Daniel Mueller was more than happy to share a few of the company’s latest and greatest.
“We’ve had a lot of success this year showing off our pouch bagging solution. The packers are really going towards the pouches, and what we’re finding is that no one has an automated solution to do that, so we’ve had a lot of interest in our pouch bagging machines,” he said.
Daniel also gave me some insight on why Volm’s Half-N-Half pouch has been so successful. The Half-N-Half Pouch helps differentiate produce on the store shelf by offering the high graphic impact of a stand up bag, while also offering breathability to keep the produce fresh, he shares. Along with its innovative packaging solutions, the company has also rolled out its “Volm Inventory Management Solutions” program.
Daniel explains, “We manage the inventory the inventory for the customers seeing live packouts, what that does is reduces the inventory buy. We really tried to resonate with the customer that we can be their total packing side supply chain expert.”
For more on what Volm is offering the produce industry and to see my entire interview with Daniel Mueller, watch the 50 second video at the top of the page.
WENATCHEE, WA – Apples are going head-to-head in Stemilt’s newest football-themed retail promotion, which coincides with some of the biggest sports events of the year.
The “Apple Gridiron” promotion pits together two different apples and asks consumers to vote on their favorite by purchasing their preferred variety.
Roger Pepperl, Stemilt’s Marketing Director, said that the promotion is a fun way to engage the consumer and bring football into store displays and apple ads.
“Super Bowl is right around the corner and an important time to promote apples in the produce department,” he said. “It’s a fun way to get people excited about apples and the Super Bowl, which is the most watched sports event of the year.”
Participating retailers will be able to promote 3-6 apple varieties at a time, with two of the varieties being featured as the two teams for the voting contest. Retailers can choose between running bulk apple ads or they can feature Stemilt’s Lil Snappers® kid-sized fruit in a promotion.
“Lil Snappers are a brand that consumers recognize and work well for in-and-out promotions like the Apple Gridiron because of the grab-and-go style of the bag,” Pepperl continued. “Lil Snappers are available in the select apple varieties that kids favor.”
To learn more about how the Lil Snappers brand has reached 4,500 retailers nationwide, check out previous story by clicking here.
To support the Apple Gridiron promotion, Stemilt can provide retailers with customized postcards for the two apples in the competition, as well as social media programs that will encourage consumers to participate in the Apple Gridiron promotion. In addition, the company can also help assist retailers with setting up retail display or sales contests utilizing this unique promotion.
Stemilt said that in February, apples contributed 6.8% of total produce department dollars on average over the past two years. With that said, this promotion looks to be a great way to not only continue selling apples through the winter months, but also take advantage of the upcoming college bowl games, the NFL playoffs, and the Super Bowl.
NEW YORK CITY, NY - Anthony Bourdain, traveling food connoisseur, TV personality, and culinary star is now watching his own food market take form.
The New York Times reports that while New York’s culinary scene has rumored and awaited Bourdain’s own major food market for over a year, no concrete details have been released. Until now.
The chef and author confirmed that he has subleased the main concourse and mezzanine of one of the largest shipping piers on the Hudson, Pier 57 at 15th Street, in partnership with his parents.
This is the first confirmed step in the formation of Bourdain’s much-anticipated market, though it looks to be about two years before foodies and food experts will explore what is reported to contain about 100 New York retail and wholesale food vendors, as well as those from both the nation and overseas, including:
- Fishmongers
- Butchers
- Bakers
- Other artisans
- At least one full-service restaurant
While some local members of New York’s food scene have already confirmed participation in Bourdain’s market, he tells the New York Times that the “beating heart and soul” will be a Singapore-style hawker market that incorporates communal eating spaces with surrounding stands selling street foods from around the world — many of which will be mom-and-pop operations that Bourdain and his team plan to bring here.
Though Bourdain did not specify in the report if among those artisans and locally-owned businesses there would be a focus on fresh produce (locally or culturally driven like the rest of the project) he has made it a point of interest in his culinary work with the Travel Channel.
Bourdain shared that he doesn’t sleep and expects to immerse himself in running the market, perhaps why it’s slated to be open nearly all day and night. “I’m particularly concerned with the atmospherics, the authenticity, the smell and feel and sound of the place. Will it be the kind of democratic space open to and used by all? Will wealthy and working class alike find something to love in common?” he told the New York Times.
The market will not be a small endeavor, with developers of the project expecting 20,000 visitors a day to partake in all the cuisines Bourdain has endorsed and admired over the years.
To read the full article, including more about those involved in the project and already slated to partake in the market, click here.
AndNowUKnow will continue to follow the project as Bourdain and his team work together to bring it into fruition.
MONTVALE, NJ - The A&P chain is still standing, but only just. The retailer has just gained U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval to bring a third party to sell the 55 stores that stand between final liquidation.
Lohud Journal reports that A&P has enlisted a joint venture made up of A&G Realty Partners, Tiger Capital Group, SB Capital Group as well as some of A&P's secured creditors, who have agreed to pay the chain $5 million in the form of credit.
The selling is to take place over the next couple of months, with A&P receiving cash payment from any sale the joint venture succeeds in. Those the venture wishes to take over for itself will result in an additional $250,000 for A&P.
While the third party mix has agreed to also pay rent on the 55 stores as they attempt to sell, some stores are not included in the package, like the A&P Patterson location. Though that store is said to have a buyer, it must have court approval, which was not listed at this hearing.
The next scheduled hearing for the chain is slated for January 22nd.
The company has also reached an agreement with union workers. United Food and Commercial Workers lawyer Richard Seltzer told Lohud that there was little time left to negotiate. "We're really at a point where the company as an operating company has come to an end," he said.
The consensus, therefore, is that it will stop paying retiree health benefits and life insurance, in some cases, as early as the end of January.
While A&P has successfully closed all operating stores and is preparing to exit the lease on its headquarters, other hiccups still remain before the company can finish phasing out. For whatever reason, buyers that have previously committed to purchasing locations have not yet closed the deals, for which the retailer's lawyers are reportedly filing with the court to push forward.
It appears, for the moment, A&P will carry its case over to the new year.
We will continue to keep you up to date on the retailer’s progress as it seeks to efficiently bow out of the market.
LOS ANGELES, CA – Kristina Lorusso, former category buyer for Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc., has joined the Giumarra team as its new Midwest Region Business Manager, replacing Ben Reilly, who relocated to his native Australia early this year.
Lorusso worked with Roundy’s for over six years, having made the transition from working in public relations for a government affairs firm for the healthcare lobby. With Giumarra, she will be working closely with regional customer accounts, the company said, to grow business and develop targeted promotions.
This includes promotions designed to market Giumarra’s line of Fair Trade Certified™ product grown in Mexico.
“Kristina’s expertise in the fresh category and how best to promote at retail will be an asset to this position,” Hillary Brick, Senior V.P. of Strategic Development for Giumarra, said in a press release. “Her in-depth regional market knowledge will help us better serve our Midwest customers. This is an increasingly important region for us.”
“As a retailer, I always admired the Giumarra Companies for their outstanding service, consistently great quality, and willingness to assist with innovative marketing strategies,” Lorusso, who will be based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, stated in the release. “Now that I'm part of the team, I am eager to forge and strengthen strategic partnerships with retailers and to help our partners expand their business.”
In addition to her work on business and promotional growth, Lorusso will represent the company at industry and customer functions and events. AndNowUKnow looks forward to following Giumarra and the growth this newest addition will bring.
NEW YORK – It appears that the turmoil regarding Dole executives’ alleged fraudulent scheme is still under close examination.
Just days after CEO David Murdock settled the lawsuit, a New York law firm, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, announced today that it is currently investigating potential claims on behalf of shareholders who bought stock in the company between January 2, 2013 to October 31, 2013. The firm is encouraging shareholders to come forward with any facts pertaining to this matter so they could assist with the examination.
As we previously reported, Vice Chancellor Travis Laster found that Murdock and other company executives had allegedly undervalued the company after fraudulently manipulating the sale process.
A press release from the firm states, “[The executives’] intention was to deceive the investing public, thus allowing the price of Dole’s stock to drop, enabling Murdock to buy Dole Food Company at an unnaturally lowered price.”
On June 10, 2013, Murdock offered to take Dole private at a price of $12.00 per share. On August 12, 2013, the Dole Board announced its definitive merger agreement with Murdock, stating that he would acquire all of the outstanding shares of Dole’s stock for $13.50 per share. The merger completed on November 1, 2013.
On December 9, 2015, Murdock agreed to settle the litigation in court. If Vice Chancellor Laster approves the class action settlement, shareholders will receive damages of $101 million, plus interest of at least $14 million, in the months ahead. In addition, hedge funds affiliated with Merion Capital, Hudson Bay Capital, Magnetar Capital, and Fortress Investment Group, could receive more than $300 million in damages and interest.
Stay tuned for any further updates relating to this story.