NOGALES, AZ – As we approach the colder winter months, Crown Jewels is looking to ramp up production in the coming weeks on some of its new items, while winding down on melons for the season.
The company’s Mexican melon program, typically offered during the spring and fall months, will be wrapping up in Sonora within the next few weeks. Speaking with Atomic Torosian, Crown Jewels’ partner, he says that it’ll be another week or two before the watermelon and mini watermelon season concludes, and another two or three weeks for honeydews.
As the melon season comes to an end, Crown Jewels will begin increasing production on its recently introduced items – hard squash and grapefruit. The hard squash season will run through May, while grapefruit will go until March.
“We are slowly increasing our daily production of hard squashes, such as Spaghetti, Butternut, and Acorn,” Atomic tells us. “As far as grapefruit goes, we will start our Star Ruby variety packed under our Crown Jewels label coming in from the state of Sinaloa the second week of December.”
Other items that have just started up are eggplant and green bell peppers, which will be in good production on the week of December 7th, and colored bell peppers, which Atomic says will be coming on line in mid-December.
The recent cool days and cold nights in its growing areas have slowed down production on most squashes and cucumbers, but that should change next week. On the first week of December, production on these items should start to ramp back up and increase from the Guaymas, Sonora growing district.
Grapes continue to be a huge focus for the company as it expects a substantial increase to its total program with new plantings in all growing areas of Mexico. Crown Jewels is still shipping late season storage grapes from California with Crimsons, Autumn King Green grapes, and Autumn Royal Black grapes from its local growers in the San Joaquin Valley. Crown Jewels’ grapes from Peru should start before the first of the year, Atomic says.
Other items wrapping up in California include Crown Jewels’ Granny Smith and Pink Lady variety apples from its “Tradition” label in the Sacramento area and its Crown Jewels pomegranates from the Mendota area. These items should finish their seasons by mid-December.
As we previously reported, Crown Jewels is launching “King’s Taste,” a new reinvigorated label for select produce items. This label will be used for items including melons and grapes to pear and apple packaging applications.
The New Year is fast approaching, and the company is continuing to offer more innovative programs from its retail customers in the United States and Canada.
Stay tuned as we continue to follow the development of Crown Jewels’ evolving produce program.
WENATCHEE, WA - With October’s National Apple Month now behind us, retail scan data for the category is now revealing new details about sales and volume, CMI reports.
While apple sales typically peak nationally in October, the 2015 apple category had a bit different results. According to the October monthly report from Nielsen, the apple category declined by 7% in volume and 4% in dollars. Apple category contribution declined to 7.5% from 8.2% in October 2014.
“With a shorter crop both nationally and out of Washington State, supermarkets are really forced to be creative to increase sales,” explains Don Patella, Regional Marketing Director for CMI. “Nearly all category growth is being driven by branded apples. A lot of retailers are seizing the opportunity while many others have yet to react to the unique opportunities presented with this crop.”
According to CMI, the Nielsen data shows that for the four-week period ending October 24, three apple varieties made the top 10 nationally. The three—Sweetango®, Ambrosia™ and Cripps Pink—generated increases in both dollars and volume, the data shows, with the shorter crop also impacting the Honeycrisp variety, which declined by 5.5% in volume for the month.
“The challenges in the apple category this year will be very unique,” continues Patella. “Retailers will face declining volume and inflated retails. But more importantly, shifting consumer tastes and rising quality expectations means retailers really need to think creatively about how to tap into branded apples to stop dollar erosion by driving transactions upward into premium apples.”
Patella says that growth in organics continues to be the top growth opportunity for retailers.
“Already this season organic apple sales have jumped nearly 6% while conventional apple sales continue to slide. The most successful retailers are leveraging organics to build transaction size,” Patella adds. “Nielsen data shows that for the month of October, the number one selling branded organic apple in the entire category is CMI's Daisy Girl Organics™ 2-pound pouch bag, up an incredible 81% over a year ago.”
With the company’s Daisy Girl program in its third year of performing well on the charts in 2-pound organic pouch bag sales, Patella says that organics are hot and Daisy Girl is even hotter.
BANCROFT, WI — Tasteful Selections™ bite-sized potatoes has joined the table of the nation’s largest turkey grocery dinner giveaway, the 33rd Annual E.J. Jackson Foundation Turkey Grocery Giveaway.
The company has donated 12,500 pounds of potatoes to the holiday cause.
“At Tasteful Selections we are extremely passionate about contributing to programs, like the E.J. Jackson Foundation, aimed at fighting hunger,” Russell Wysocki, President and CEO of RPE, Co-Owner of Tasteful Selections, said in a press release. “With the holiday season, we are grateful that we are able to give back and help those families in need.”
Taking place in Los Angeles, California, today, Nov. 24, this donation will help to provide a healthy meal to thousands that need it most. According to the company, a total of 10,000 boxes of groceries will be given away, including all the fixings of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, to residents throughout Southern California including:
- Low income seniors
- Disabled veterans
- Those living with disabilities
The event kicked off at 8 a.m. Pacific this morning. The dinners housing Tasteful Selections’ potatoes, turkey, and more are being distributed at the Jackson Limousine Services parking lot, 3669 West Slauson Boulevard, Los Angeles. Special guests participating in the huge giveaway include actor Lou Gossett, Jr.
Tasteful Selections’ unique varieties, which are grown in Bakersfield, California, year around, are currently available in more than 10,000 retail stores nationwide.
COLLEGE PARK, MD - It looks like the peak of El Niño is about to arrive and here to stay, according to new reports from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC). The weather association has released new data that predicts that El Niño will peak during the winter of 2015-2016, and conditions wont return back to neutral until late spring or early summer of 2016.
The CPC’s El Nino/Southern Oscilation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion reports, “Most models indicate that a strong El Niño will continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2015-16, followed by weakening and a transition to ENSO-neutral during the late spring or early summer.”
The report also shares that forecasters are now predicting that this El Niño could rank among the top three strongest episodes going back to 1950.
As we previously reported, El Niño is a warming of a certain patch of the central Pacific that changes weather patterns worldwide, associated with flooding in some areas and droughts in others. This is the first since 2010, and has been progressively building.
Historically, El Niño events can lead to severe dry conditions in parts of Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, while North America typically sees heavy rains. This could potentially affect agriculture for the better or worse across the globe, however forecasters say it is too early to tell exactly what the results may be.
For more on what potential affects El Niño may have on the fresh produce industry, AndNowUKnow will update you as the information is released.
TYLER, TX - The Brookshire Grocery Company delivered some good news to its workers this holiday week.
Brad Brookshire, Chairman of the Board, sent out a letter yesterday, notifying employees that the chain has decided that it will not pursue a sale, according to KLTV.
As we previously reported, news hit last month that Brookshire was working with JP Morgan & Chase to coordinate a sale worth upwards of $1 billion, including debt that had attracted large banners like Albertsons.
Now, according to KLTV, the chain has decided to change tactics, with no more intentions of putting itself on the market.
“I am pleased to announce that the Board of Directors of the Company has decided this morning to discontinue the sale process of our company,” Brookshire wrote in his letter to employees, according to the report. “The company is no longer for sale and we can now focus on the things that matter most - our customers and partners. I personally want to thank each of you for sticking with us during these past few months of difficult uncertainty.”
The Brookshire chains were founded in 1928 in its home of Tyler, Texas, having now grown to operating more than 150 stores in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas under the Brookshire's, Super 1 Foods, and FRESH by Brookshire brands.
JUPITER, FL – In less than six months, Driscoll’s saved more than $1.2 million in what would have been lost shipments thanks to Locus Traxx’s real-time transit monitoring device, SmartTraxx GO. As a result, the company has been named as Driscoll’s 2015 Cold Chain Champion.
“Driscoll’s is pleased to have selected Locus Traxx as our 2015 Cold Chain Champion,” said Tom Shepherd, Driscoll’s Director of Logistics. “They have provided critical leadership in support of Driscoll’s goal of achieving proactive in-transit monitoring of our fruit that includes real-time visibility of temperature, security, and truck location.”
The award was presented during Driscoll’s Logistics Conference in Seaside, CA, which honors providers based on their ability to consistently exceed Driscoll’s expectations, as well as demonstrate an understanding of its vision, mission, and values through their daily work, according to a press release.
Locus Traxx has also provided Driscoll’s with a managed services team to respond to in-transit alerts, the development of customized reporting, and global cold chain support.
David Benjamin, CEO of Locus Traxx, said the relationship with Driscoll’s has been one of “collaborative learning and open communication.”
“The SmartTraxx GO platform has won so many prestigious awards this year, but winning the Cold Chain Champion Award… it’s like winning an Oscar,” he added. “Locus Traxx has committed to provide extraordinary levels of service and has adopted Driscoll’s mission as our own.”
The disposable SmartTraxx GO allows the produce and transportation industries to access real-time data from their shipments. The palm-sized device delivers up-to-the-minute reports via email or text on the location, temperature, and security of the products while they’re in transit so you can be ensured of their safety.
In addition to Driscoll's recent award, Locus Traxx's innovative tool has won United Fresh’s Food Safety Product of the Year Award, IoT Evolutions’ Product of the Year Award, and Supply and Demand Chain’s Green Award. Locus Traxx has also been named a 2015 GrowFL Company To Watch.
ATLANTA, GA - There’s fresh, and then there’s Outrageously Fresh.
As we previously reported, SunSelect and Divemex, along with exclusive marketing partner Oppy, are undergoing a massive growth spurt with the new Outrageously Fresh program, packaged in the innovative “jar bags.”
In our latest exclusive, Chief Business Development Officer and Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for SunSelect, Mike Reed, took the time to discuss the line and its mason jar-style wardrobe.
“Our new Outrageously Fresh brand is a combination of ourselves and Divamex out of Mexico, and also our new jar bags which we have the exclusivity on for doing our snacking tomatoes, mini cucumbers, and mini bell peppers.”
Mike explained that the companies have had an unbelievable response on the new packaging, which he says has helped fulfill the original desire to capture the snack category.
“We want everybody to see our outrageous new colors,” Mike adds when we ask what SunSelect wants retailers to take away from this latest produce snack offering. “I think when you see them on the shelves it’s going to pop.”
To see our full interview with Mike, watch the 43 second video at the top of the page.
WARSAW, POLAND – Genesis Fresh has been named as Locus Traxx Worldwide’s appointed representative in Poland.
“At a time when the Russian embargo is continuing to make life difficult for exporters, it is important to find new markets, showing potential customers that having a high level of traceability is vital,” said Jan-Willem Schrijver, Managing Director of Locus Traxx Worldwide EU, according to a press release. “There is no other technology on the market that can offer this level of real-time monitoring of your goods, and now Polish suppliers have the chance to give themselves a real competitive edge.”
SmartTraxx™ GO, LocusTraxx’s innovative line of monitoring devices, will give exporters access to tools they wouldn’t otherwise have.
“Clients nowadays want to know where the product is and at what temperature it is being transported,” Genesis Fresh’s Jan Nowakowski said, adding that this will be the first time Polish companies will be able to purchase SmartTraxx™ GO products from a local distributor. “Traceability is crucial and SmartTraxx™ gives you peace of mind that you can monitor your products and react as necessary to any situation.”
According to the company, Poland currently has a strong export trade, particularly with blueberries, apples, strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, and peppers, plus continual growth in other fruit and vegetable markets. With this agreement, Genesis Fresh will be able to distribute SmartTraxx™ GO products like GO, GO XL, GO LUX and GO Location that all can track and provide information in real time, regardless of the transport method, in a market where retailers continue to demand higher and higher levels of supply chain visibility.
Locus Traxx and Genesis Fresh expressed excitement to offer an innovative real-time solution that they said has not yet been seen in Poland.
CHILE - It’s a time of change and growth across domestic and international markets for the fresh produce industry as consumer demand grows for year-round availability, as well as variety in their fruit and vegetable options.
Ronald Bown, President of ASOEX, took the time to explain to me that Chile's agricultural center is in flux as it sees changes, some good and some yet to be determined, that are reshaping its fresh produce audience.
“As a country, we are significantly investing in a range of ports, not just in terms of operations but in other ways as well,” he tells me, explaining that though Mother Nature has dealt Chile a few heavy blows this year, the ports continue to do very well and the political aspect of the agricultural industry is transforming.
“In the coming months new labor regulations that we have been working on for many years will [come to fruition],” Ronald adds.
The Chilean government has not, until recently, looked to regulate agricultural labor any differently from other industries. About five years ago, Ronald tells me, agricultural members looked to change that.
“Agriculture has a very different situation from urban or human relations, our rules and regulations and with Mother Nature, where you never know what is going to happen, are very different.”
As a result, ASOEX worked together with laborers for new regulations, resulting in guidelines specific to agricultural that will soon be up for review by the Chilean government.
And it is not just the country that is changing, but the world around it. Ronald explained that ASOEX set itself both short and long term goals several years ago about what markets it wanted to ship to outside of its own, beginning with the Latin Americas and expanding outward to places such as North America, Europe, and beyond.
While much of this, Ronald says, has been a positive development for Chile, such as the strength of the U.S. dollar and demand for what they can provide to help strengthen the economy, it also presents more challenges.
“Regardless of what market we are operating in, there is a lot more competition than there was 15, 10, even five years ago,” Karen Brux, Managing Director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, elaborated. “We are constantly having to raise our bar because we need to have better quality and better produce. The growers are constantly meeting and trying to find out; how can we better serve our markets? Because that is the key, essentially, to staying ahead.”
In staying ahead, some of those short term goals have been realized, such as Chile’s exponential export growth just in the past few years. Currently, Ronald said, they are working with China to further broaden their horizons and meet the demand of even more consumers.
“It’s not easy to deal with different countries, different ideas and points of view,” Ronald tells me of working with foreign markets. “But, we trust in the Chinese authorities in terms of conditions to allow a transparent market and free trade competition. Many of these free trade agreements that were, 15 years ago, long-term goals have come true.”
And now that those have come into fruition, Ronald seems optimistic for new long term goals to kick into gear. Labor regulations, health initiatives, and public education are a few that he remains confident will, he said, be addressed or even met with in the next few years.
As for the growth of the country’s fruit industry?
“Another important factor might be India,” he says thoughtfully, commenting that other big markets like China tend to be more consistent. “But India is constantly changing, even in the last year. They could be a very important factor.”
With a constant eye to the future and the desire to continue its growth, we will continue to follow the Chilean and other influential produce markets, so keep checking in with AndNowUKnow.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - According to new information, SuperValu is now considering a complete sale of its Save-A-Lot grocery chain, as opposed to a spin-off of the business as was previously reported.
SuperValu has received interest in Save-A-Lot from several private equity firms, people familiar with the matter disclosed to Reuters. Supervalu will reportedly consider offers after registering the unit with regulators for a spin in early 2016.
Reuters says that while a spin would be more tax-efficient for SuperValu, the sources believe that these private equity firms are hoping to take advantage of a “tax shield” that was put in place from a loss in SuperValu's $3.3 billion sale of supermarket retailer Albertsons Inc. and other stores to Cerberus Capital Management LP in 2013.
As we’ve previously reported, SuperValu announced in its July Q1 2015 financial report that it was exploring a spin-off of Save-A-Lot, with CEO Sam Duncan saying that that the company believes a separation of the business could allow the banner to better focus on its operations and “pursue strategies specific to its business characteristics and growth potentials, for the benefit of our shareholders, customers, licensees and employees.”
The sources are now saying that buyout firms would still have to convince the company that their offers would represent better value to SuperValu shareholders compared to a spin, some adding that the business could be valued at more than $1.7 billion.
AndNowUKnow will continue to update you on SuperValu’s plans as they’re announced, so stay tuned.