PHOENIX, AZ - After six months in the making, Vision Produce’s $536,000 solar power generation system at its Phoenix, AZ facility is now fully operational.
As we previously reported, the system spans 1,930 solar panels and is expected to generate 377,580 kWh per year. That is equivalent to eliminating 14.4 million pounds of CO2 emissions over its 30-year lifetime. In addition, this system could power 23 homes and be equal to taking 56 cars off the road, according to a press release.
During a ceremonial ribbon-cutting event held earlier this week, Vision Produce President Bill Vogel was joined by Treasurer Marsela McGrane and Vice Presidents and Building Owners Robert Stauffer, John Caldwell, and Dan Lawton, as well as Mark Hologan, Solar Division Manager from Wilson Electric, and Max Burger from the Salt River Project, to celebrate the completion of the project.
“Our customers are demanding that we be sustainable in our business ventures and this renewable energy addition to our Phoenix facility is a giant step,” said Vogel.
The new system is expected to supply 59 percent of the electricity that Vision Produce uses in Phoenix every year. During summer months, the solar system will produce a surplus of solar energy, which will be sold back to the Salt River Project, one of Arizona’s largest utility companies.
The project was funded largely with support from JP Morgan Chase.
ORLANDO, FL - US Foods continues to keep an eye on the future, including, according to a Form 8-K filed recently with the SEC, a possible IPO filing in the next year or so.
According to the submission, the distributor’s parent company, USF Holding Corp., expects to conduct an initial public offering of its common stock at some point in the future.
The topic came up during a sales conference that was held in Orlando, Florida, where the re-launch of its strategic transformation initiatives was discussed with its senior leaders and sales organization.
As we previously reported, US Foods is in the midst of a ‘better than ever’ campaign called “Just Taking Off,” launched just one week after its long battle with the FTC to merge its name with Sysco came to an end. Through it, US Foods has looked to show its consumers that it is stronger than ever and ready to serve.
With this strategy came the discussion of new initiatives the company is pursuing as part of this “transformation,” eventually, it seems, leading to a possible IPO.
“The Company expects that the IPO will occur sometime within the next 12 to 18 months, subject to market conditions,” the filing states.
No actual offer was made or appears to be on the table as of yet, however, with the form clearly stating that the statement was not an offer to sell any securities.
AndNowUKnow will keep you updated on this story as more information develops.
WEST CALDWELL, NJ - East coast perishable foods distributor RLB is introducing a brand new name and look as it ramps up momentum heading into 2016.
Under the name FreshPro Food Distributors, the company has unified its deli/cheese/chilled-food, produce, fresh-cut processing, organic, and floral divisions.
The name “FreshPro” is derived from its processing division, which held that moniker since the early 90s. It comes with a new logo and slogan – ‘Your Solution For Perishables’ – that incorporates many of the words and symbols the company said it is known for: Customer-centric; Solution-driven; More than a Produce Company, according to a press release.
“This has been a three-year undertaking of consulting with our customers and suppliers, as well as searching within our organization, to find a new name that would more clearly describe our capabilities,” President and COO Floyd Avillo said in a press release. “We realized that the two most important strengths of our company are our ability to deliver ‘FRESH’, high-quality perishable items, and our ‘PRO-fessionalism,’ exemplified by the hard-work ethics of each of our dedicated employees.”
Pat Mele, Executive Vice President and CFO, said that the company looks forward to this new era in its history.
“There is a lot of positive momentum here, and our new name reflects that,” he said.
FreshPro has recently acquired a new building in Fairfield, NJ to accommodate more SKU’s, as well as additional trucks to reach customers faster and further away.
As its client base begins to change, FreshPro is confident that it can provide fresh alternatives for retail and foodservice outlets.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - H-E-B, one of the largest private employers in the state of Texas, has announced that it is introducing a new employee ownership program where 55,000 employees will be eligible to receive a portion of its stock.
The move, the company stated, is in celebration of its 110th aniversary.
"The Partner Stock Plan is a milestone and a recognition of our most important resource – our people," Charles Butt, H‑E‑B Chairman and CEO, said in a press release. "Our Partners are the competitive edge that brings innovation, growth, and success to H‑E‑B. This plan has been my dream for decades. It is a gift that recognizes our Partners' ongoing commitment to H‑E‑B. Our Partners shaped our past, define our present, and will lead us into the future."
Effective this coming January, H-E-B said those employees will receive:
- A grant of stock valued at 3 percent of their salary.
- An additional $100 in stock value for each year of continuous service completed by end of 2015.
- Yearly contributions to the stock plan made based on company performance going forward.
Reuters noted that the state is at a seven year unemployment rate and retailers are competing for workers. Currently, H-E-B pays its employees a minimum of $10.25 an hour, and with this latest move the chain said that employees, or “Partners,” who are at least 21 years old, have completed a minimum of one year’s service, and worked at least 1,000 hours in a calendar year, will be eligible for partial ownership.
"This historic offering reflects our commitment to our Partners and the communities we serve,” Craig Boyan, H‑E‑B President and Chief Operating Officer, stated in the release. “We are anchored in our mission to hire the best people, offer the best service, provide the best products at budget sensitive prices, and operate our business in a way that reflects our deeply ingrained value system."
The release notes that those eligible for the program will automatically be enrolled without having to make a contribution.
H‑E‑B’s brands include H‑E‑B, Central Market, H‑E‑B Plus!, Joe V's Smart Shop, and Mi Tienda, adding up to more than 370 stores in Texas and Mexico.
SOLEDAD, CA – Gavino “David” Cardenas, a cherished, long-time employee at Braga Fresh Family Farms, is celebrating his 45th year with the company.
That may seem like a lifetime, but for David, it’s been an honor. Over the past 45 years, he has witnessed this family of companies go from cattle ranchers to farmers of organic and conventional fresh produce. He has worked with cattle, tomatoes, corn, alfalfa and hay, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, iceberg, kales and chards, leaf lettuces, sweet baby broccoli, radishes, and herbs during his tenure, according to a press release.
His rise up the company ladder has been nothing short of amazing. He started as an irrigator in August of 1970 and then became a tractor driver. He eventually became farm supervisor and currently oversees all of the company drip tape crews.
Stanley Braga, Chairman of the Board, recalled the times when David enjoyed working with cattle alongside his brother Norman and father Sebastian.
“David has been a hard-working guy all his life,” said Stanley. “He started at the bottom and worked his way up. He would keep trying at new things until he became an expert and is always willing to learn more.”
Rod Braga, President and CEO, just four or five years old at the time, remembers David working alongside his grandfather and brother.
“He’s a valued employee today and a link to my past,” said Rod. “He’s always been the first to work and the last to leave. I’m sure that will continue until he’s well into his nineties.”
Braga Fresh is honored to celebrate 45 years working with David, and looks forward to making even more memories with him.
WATSONVILLE, CA - California Giant is looking to freshen up some fall and winter classics with a berry twist. We all have our own favorite comfort foods when it comes to snuggle season, consumers included, so why not show them what they’re missing?
Here’s a few ideas to inspire your customers and push your berry display as the cold season comes:
Raspberry Paleo Muffins with a Pumpkin Twist
Let’s just say we read the title and our stomachs made their presence known. Pumpkin is a staple of the season, and the combination just makes sense. Plus, thanks to Starbucks, it has become something of a buzzword that more than the squash facet of the industry can enjoy. Bonus: bake time is only about 30 minutes. See the full recipe here.
Blackberry Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Fancy to look at but easy to prepare is a beautiful combination for today’s on-the-go consumer market. Offering moms a grilled cheese sandwich that they can make for their children with antioxidants in time for cold and flu season isn’t a bad twist either. Find the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Chicken with a Berry Glaze
With chilly weather setting in, the slow cookers will be coming out. The method is a popular one because it gives you a flavorful dish while not having to be present during the entire cook time. The ability to incorporate berries into this savory preparation opens up an entire market of at-home cookers to the berry aisle. Click here to see the recipe.
These are just a few ideas of how to open up your consumers to the benefits and possibilities a berry twist can present for sweater weather. California Giant's entire eCookbook provides a number of ideas on how consumers can incorporate berries to make their dishes healthier. Click here to download Recipes for a Healthy Life for free.
Keep reading AndNowUKnow daily for various approaches the produce industry is taking to reach consumers.
UNITED STATES - Over the past couple of months, I have traveled from Leamington, Ontario, to South Texas, Delano and Bakersfield, showing some of the top suppliers in our industry the benefits of using virtual reality as a cost-effective presentation platform. I am proud to say that this technology is already starting to catch on. Just ask Frontera.
I cannot emphasize enough that this tool is not just for entertainment. After recognizing the potential virtual reality holds for the produce industry, Frontera has already begun experimenting with ways they can bring their business directly to their customers by using this immersive three-dimensional experience. Kudos to Frontera for investing in virtual reality and their ability to realize the value it holds.
“Bringing our experiences to the buyer is what has made us so supportive of adopting this technology,” Tonya Hill, Frontera’s Director of Sales, tells me. “Face-to-face time with our customers is a very integral part of our business philosophy. We will wholeheartedly get behind any opportunity that allows us to bring the entire Frontera experience – from field to store shelf – to our customers. It allows us to bring our gorgeous South Texas fields anywhere and gives buyers the opportunities to learn what we do to deliver the best product.”
Anyone in the industry can use virtual reality to show interested parties an incredible 360 degree panoramic view of their latest investments, whether it’s new acreage, a packing line, or a grape varietal, just to name a few. What better way is there to introduce retail partners to your program without having to fly them out to your field? With virtual reality, you can bring someone right in the middle of your vineyards or your greenhouse without having them leave the comfort of their chair.
Check out our previous story by clicking here to see who else in the industry is also trying out virtual reality. Names like Tommy Wilkins, Charlie Eagle, Ken Paglione, and David Lake are just a few of many industry members that have already tested this technology for themselves.
The experience you will receive from virtual reality versus ordinary photos is incomparable. All you need is a smartphone and VR goggles, like the Samsung Gear VR. Assuming you have a compatible smartphone available, you can have a great presentation tool for $200.00. If you don't have a Galaxy Note 4 smartphone, you can easily find one on Craigslist to purchase.
Buy Samsung Gear VR (for Galaxy Note 4 Smartphones)
Though taking three-dimensional panoramic photographs to create your own personal virtual reality experience can be a little arduous, there is technology coming soon that will make it easier for anyone to take a camera and set it up to take 360 degree photos.
Don’t pass up this cost-effective opportunity to bring your business directly to the buyers. It’s simple and effective. What more could you ask for?
McLEAN, VA – Gladstone Land Corporation is continuing to acquire land across the United States, this time in Hendry County, Florida.
The real estate investment trust has acquired 691 acres of farmland with 390 farmable acres in the county for approximately $3.8 million. This equates to approximately $5,500 per acre of farmland.
Bill Frisbie, Managing Director of the company’s Eastern Division, said in a press release that this property will be farmed for green beans and bell peppers.
“We are privileged to expand our acreage in the Immokalee farming region with a highly-regarded vegetable grower as our tenant-partner,” he said.
Gladstone Land currently owns 42 farms, comprised of 15,571 acres in six different states across the country, valued at approximately $265 million.
David Gladstone, President and CEO, discussed this latest deal in a press release, noting that the company enjoys owning land that grows fruits and vegetables.
"We seek to build our company on the idea that the produce section of the grocery store is a good place to base our business, because yields on fruits and vegetables have been growing at a stronger pace than other areas,” said Gladstone.
The company primarily concentrates its acreage in areas where its tenants can grow row crops, such as berries and vegetables.
Most recently, Gladstone Land acquired three farms in Kern County, California, for $19 million.
For more on Gladstone Land and David Gladstone’s approach to acquiring farmland, check out our interview by clicking here.
DELTA, BC – Village Farms is welcoming Lyra Vance into the newly created Director of Strategic Business and Sales Development role.
In this position, Vance will be responsible for contributing to Village Farms’ aggressive growth plans going forward, according to a press release. Having previously managed business development for national produce accounts and brands for the past 14 years with The Oppenheimer Group and handling the maintenance and expansion of Tectrol technology with Transfresh Corporation, she is well equipped to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.
Bret Wiley, Senior Vice President of Sales and Sales Operations, said the company is extremely pleased to bring Vance to the team.
“Her highly respected reputation and experience in the greenhouse industry is well documented among retailers and suppliers in our business community,” said Wiley.
Vance will be based in St. Petersburg, FL and will begin her new role with Village Farms on November 16.
LIMA, PERU - Manuel Salazar, former CEO of Louis Dreyfus Commodities for Peru and Chile, has been announced as Camposol’s new CEO.
Salazar steps in to replace Samuel Dyer Coriat, who will reportedly stay on as Executive Chairman in the coming months to help ease the transition and assist Salazar, eventually delegating all those duties to him.
"We are very pleased to have Manuel in our team, as he not only has the experience but also has the organizational, financial and commercial skills in order to help us achieve our vision to become one of the first five leaders in the world in the provision of healthy food," Dyer Coriat, Outgoing Executive Chairman of Camposol Holding Ltd., said, according to a MarketWatch News report.
Overall the company reports that its incoming CEO brings with him over 20 years of professional experience in managerial roles, both local and regional in responsibility, for large companies.
Below is a brief video of what Camposol does and what its new CEO will be looking to help grow.
Salazar began his career in finance in 1991, holding a Bachelor in Economics from Clark University, an MBA from Georgetown University, and a PhD in Management from the University of Lleida.
He has an extensive leadership background, including strategic, commercial, and financial planning for large organizations, experience operating in different markets, and having led in culture transformation management and control systems.
Overall, according to the report, the company expressed both confidence and enthusiasm for the chapter its new leader will open.