BAKERSFIELD, CA - Thanks to the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign, Panama-Buena Vista Union School District (PBVUSD) have reached their goal of implementing salad bar lunch programs at all of their schools as of Monday, September 14th. The district can now proudly say that all 23 school sites (18 elementary and 5 junior high) have salads bars as part of their school lunch program.
PBVUSD’s Director of Nutrition Services, Marilou Onaindia said, “The addition of the salad bar to the NSLP is an effective and creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables to students, offering variety and choice. When students are able to create their meal the way they like it, they eat it. And we all know that for a meal to be nutritious, it must be eaten.”
Started in 2010, the Salad Bar Program stemmed from when the time when the then CEO and President of Sun World, Al Vangelos, approached the district about partnering with local grape growers Sun World and Pandol Bros. (members of the United Fresh Produce Association) to pilot a salad bar program at Stonecreek Junior High. In turn, each grower donated a salad bar as part of their ongoing support of the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative founded in part by the United Fresh Produce Association and supported by First Lady Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative.
Not only did the pilot program at Stonecreek Junior High prove to be a huge success, but it also increased participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) by 25% and helped increase the students’ consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Currently, PBVUSD has received 29 salad bars, valued at approximately $87,000, through the efforts of this campaign, including donations from the following:
- Sun World
- Pandol Bros.
- Grimmway Farms
- California Women for Agriculture – Kern County Chapter
- Whole Kids Foundation
- Pro Citrus Network
- Morada Produce, Inc
- Ed Purves (2014 Tour de Fresh)
- Van Gromingen and Sons, Inc
- Fresno Produce Company
- HarvestMark
- Lisa McNeece
- California Grape & Tree Fruit League
According to a press release, the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign has allowed school districts across the country to make amazing improvements to school lunches. To date, the campaign has earned over $10 million, and donated more than 4,100 salad bars to different schools. The campaign team says they rely on personal involvement and charitable commitment of produce growers, distributors, and marketers to raise private funds for donations of salad bars to schools.
ORLANDO, FL - Darden Restaurants’ efforts to revamp its Olive Garden brand are paying off.
The company’s same-restaurant sales rose across the board for during Q1 2016, with a notable 2.7 increase for Olive Garden. This is the sixth consecutive quarter of increased sales for the company, which is currently operating under its largest shareholder Starboard Value.
Darden has made a number of changes to its menu at Olive Garden, which has helped attract more customers. Gene Lee, CEO, said in a press release that the company is continuing to build on its momentum from last year.
“We continue to make progress on our operating fundamentals of culinary innovation, attentive service, and engaging atmospheres while continuing to focus on disciplined cost management,” he said. “This progress is a direct result of our hard work and commitment to creating memorable guest experiences in our restaurants.”
Darden’s stock increased approximately 4 percent to $73.25 in pre-market trading. In after-hours trading, Darden stock decreased 0.73 percent to $69.70.
Total sales increased 5.7 percent to $1.69 billion. Net earnings were $86.4 million compared to the $503.2 million last year, which included the gain on the sale of discontinued operations, according to a press release. Same-restaurant sales increased 3.4 percent for the quarter.
Other highlights from Darden’s Q1 2016 include:
- Adjusted earnings per diluted share from continuing operations increased 112.5 percent to $0.68
- On a reported basis, earnings per diluted share from continuing operations were $.063 and were negatively impacted by approximately $0.05 related to the ongoing implementation of the company’s strategic real estate plan
Darden beat analyst expectations for its Q1 2016 report. CNBC reports that analysts expected Darden to deliver adjusted earnings per share of $0.58 on revenue of $1.68 billion, according to a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate.
How will the company continue to improve on its brand? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we follow Darden’s financial reports in Q2 2016 and beyond.
NEW YORK, NY - Yesterday was Smart & Final’s one year anniversary with the public. Going public that is. And what other way to celebrate than with 100 more stores?
"We have achieved strong financial growth during our first year as a public company, and have accelerated the expansion of our 'Extra!' store format,” Chief Executive Officer Dave Hirz said, according to a press release. “Building upon our established 'Extra!' and Cash & Carry footprint throughout the Western United States, we are now focused on executing our Project 100 plan, which includes opening over 100 'Extra!' and Cash & Carry format stores in the next four years. We believe our consistent focus on value, quality and convenience resonates powerfully with our business and household consumers, and gives us an edge in a competitive market."
“Project 100” is the plan that emphasizes what this expansion will mean for the chain and the communities it enters - 100 new stores in 100 new places with 100 new teams, all in line with its 10 percent annual unit growth plan.
According to the company, this will also mean about 5,000 new jobs, minimum, in the markets which they enter.
Marking the one year anniversary of its IPO, Smart & Final’s senior management and members of the Board of Directors joined Hirz to ring The Opening Bell® at the NYSE in New York City yesterday morning.
"We are excited to welcome Smart & Final back to the New York Stock Exchange on the one-year anniversary of their initial public offering,” Garvis Toler, NYSE's Global Head of Capital Markets, added. “Smart & Final is a valued member of the NYSE family of listed companies, and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with the company."
Smart & Final continued to launch several product and marketing initiatives throughout its first year of going public, according to the company, including:
- The expansion of its natural produce selection in its stores
- The expansion of its private label First Street
- The expansion of its organic private label Sun Harvest
The chain also delved into in-home and office delivery, partnering with Instacart and Google Shopping.
AndNowUKnow will continue to report on this developing story as well as all retail occurances that continue to influence produce operations.
UNITED STATES & MEXICO - As we wrap up the summer months and move into fall, onion growers are reporting a strengthening market, especially on reds, as they gear up for "storage" onions. The prolonged heat in the Northwest has contributed to the shortage in supply, which could signify higher prices on the horizon.
Brandon Calandri, CEO of Lancaster, CA-based Calandri Sonrise Farms and Antelope Distributing, Inc., tells me that the summer has been a challenge for his red onion acreage in Quincy, Washington.
“The excessive and prolonged heat for about 6 weeks proved challenging within our crop,” Brandon tells me. “In some areas, growers even saw temperatures reach into the hundreds. Down in Southern California, we are used to dealing with triple digits. Yellow onions, which we also grow in Quincy, are much more hardy compared to red and did not experience the same level of volume issues.”
Luckily, companies like Calandri have different distribution systems to help mitigate issues during moments like this with operations throughout the Northwest and California.
Steve Gill, Co-Founder of Gills Onions, also seconded the tighter onion supplies this year, which he attributes to the heat across the Northwest. “Reds, and even in some cases yellows, are tight from what I have observed. In addition to finishing early in the Northwest this year, the market has been seeing smaller sizes as well, which is affecting yields.”
Smaller sizes occur when the heat stunts the growth cycle, which may not affect quality so much as the size. Steve notes that there are more jumbos than colossals in the market this year, and some growers have seen sizes up to 25% smaller onions in the Northwest.
“The California Crop was pretty close to normal this year, which has helped keep product in the market,” Steve adds. “Across the country there have been issues with consistency and I anticipate there may be some upcoming fluctuations in the market.”
Onion Commodity Manager, Anthony Mazzuca for Tanimura & Antle, tells me that Texas/Mexico had their challenges this year due to wet weather.
“The previous year's storage program ended with only the California onion crop to supply pent up demand. The high market throughout the California deal reflected the shortage and supply was quickly cleaned up,” Anthony says.
The Northwest stepped in with good initial volume (specifically smaller sizes), which drove markets lower he also noted, explaining that the reality is that smaller onions means smaller yields, and that there is a real shortage of JBO or greater onions, that has started to set in.
“While the market on MED onions has not reacted yet, we expect it to trail, but follow the JBO or greater market UP as customers search from cheaper alternatives on rising markets,” Anthony adds.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to bring you market updates from across the industry.
SANTA PAULA, CA – Lemons for Life™, Limoneira’s newest campaign for 2016, is coming to fruition this October with the help of Megan Roosevelt, Founder and CEO of Healthy Grocery Girl®.
Lemons for Life™ is an extension of Limoneira’s “Unleash the Natural Power of Lemons” campaign and highlights a variety of ways that lemons can be integrated into consumers’ lives, according to a press release. Recipes, natural cleaning, beauty, health tips, and lifestyle applications are just a few ways Limoneira hopes to get consumers’ thinking lemons year round.
Roosevelt, an internationally published author, cooking show host and producer, as well as a nutrition expert and plant-based Registered Dietitian, offers several online cooking videos for her audience via Healthy Grocery Girl®.
Alex Teague, Limoneira's COO, was excited to kick off the partnership with Roosevelt, crediting her prior experience as a big win for this new campaign.
“Megan provides the perfect face for ‘Lemons for Life.’ She’s passionate, credible, and articulate about getting people healthy,” said Teague. “Her involvement adds a lot of value for our grocery and food service partners.”
Roosevelt was similarly thrilled about the partnership, calling it synergistic.
“I love helping people get healthy in ways that are realistic and fun,” said Roosevelt. “We all know that lemons are among the healthiest products people can integrate into their diets.”
If you’re attending the PMA Fresh Summit expo this October in Atlanta, be sure to check out Limoneira’s newest campaign at booth #1947.
DAVIS, CA - The Center for Produce Safety is expanding on its work to fund produce safety research with a “Campaign for Produce Safety.”
A major funding initiative, the campaign is designed to secure $20 million in funding for the cause over the next five years, according to a press release.
"Produce safety is an issue that affects us all," said Bruce Taylor, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Taylor Farms, who has made a lead gift to the campaign. Taylor Farms and PMA have each contributed $1 million to the cause. "When an outbreak occurs, consumers see it as an industry-wide problem, regardless of brand or product. That's why it's in the best interests of each one of us to join together, get involved and financially support CPS's efforts to advance real-world, practical research that can be put to use right away to ensure positive food safety outcomes."
Already contributions to the campaign come to about $4,720,000, which the center stated demonstrates the strong conviction and shared responsibility to food safety from the span of the industry, including growers, shippers, and retailers.
In addition to its $1 million contribution, PMA also continues to cover CPS administrative costs so that all other funds can be used exclusively for research purposes.
"PMA has been a major supporter of CPS since day one because of what it stands for: a partnership committed to finding science-based answers to food safety issues facing the fresh produce industry," Bryan Silbermann, PMA Chief Executive Officer, said in the release. "There is no more vital issue facing our membership, no more important way to address concerns held by consumers than doing everything in our power to find solutions and then implement them."
Kent Shoemaker, CEO of Lipman Produce and early supporters echoed these sentiments, saying that produce safety is critical to not only success as an industry, but to our survival.
Stephen Patricio, CPS's Chairman and the one who heads up the Campaign for Produce Safety, said that this private-public partnership is a core strength of CPS. "Our goal has always been to augment knowledge gaps with science-based actionable research that the industry can use to make our produce safer. That goal will be further advanced later this year when we announce the research projects selected to receive our latest $2 million in funding."
So far the Center for Produce Safety has provided $16.4 million total to this critically need funding since its inception in 2007.
The following is the list of Campaign for Produce Safety contributors as of September 21, 2015, with asterisks distinguishing those who have contributed both to this campaign and past CPS fundraising efforts.
Contribution of $1,000,000+
- Produce Marketing Association*
- Taylor Farms*
Contribution of $500,000 - $999,999
- Dole
Contribution of $250,000 - $499,999
- California Melon Research Board* / California Cantaloupe Advisory Board*
- Georgia Pacific*
- Tanimura & Antle*
Contribution of $100,000 - $249,999
- GreenGate Fresh
- JV Smith Companies*
- Lipman Produce
- Pacific International Marketing
- Western Precooling Systems
- Church Brothers / True Leaf Farms
- International Paper*
- California Fresh Fruit Association
- Driscoll's*
- Florida Tomato Committee*
- McEntire Produce, Inc.
- Contribution up to $99,999
- Monsanto Company*
- Sunview Marketing International*
According to the release, additional commitments will be announced on October 23rd at the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit in Atlanta, GA.
To become a contributor, contact Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, Executive Director, Center for Produce Safety at (530) 757-5777 or via email at [email protected].
CHILE - Aftershock tremors have followed the record 8+ point earthquake that hit Chile last week, the latest of which shook the country yesterday.
According to abc30, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that aftershock hit late yesterday morning PST, September 21st, at 6.5 on the Richter Scale.
The latest quake’s epicenter was about 130 miles north of Santiago, Chile. Though this is a strong spike for an aftershock, it fortunately did not necessitate any follow-up tsunami warnings.
As we previously reported, the country was hit last week by what was clocked as the world’s largest earthquake this year, with final reports settling at 8.3 magnitude.
This aftershock has not yet brought any follow up damage or injuries reports, while last week’s earthquake was responsible for 13 deaths, Reuters reports.
The port of Coquimbo remains inoperational, according to the reports, though the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX) did release a statement that the country’s fruit operations remain in tact.
AndNowUKnow will continue to follow all natural and weather-related influencers occurring within the produce industry.
BOISE, ID - Albertsons has put two huge Los Angeles County distribution centers up for a possible $250 million sale, in what could be “the largest industrial redevelopment and reuse opportunity in Southern California,” says real estate business Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.
Both Albertsons sites are over 1 million square feet, and include a 78-acre plot in Santa Fe Springs, CA, and a 92-acre site in El Monte, CA. These LA Country centers, along with a 54-acre site in Clackamas, OR, have been listed for sale as part of the company’s latest portfolio.
These centers have been used by both Safeway and Vons, which have been operating under Albertsons' corporate umbrella. Both Albertsons and Safeway are owned by Cerberus Capital Management since the company bought the chain to facilitate their merger in 2013.
According to Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.’s marketing materials, Safeway and Vons will be leasing back the properties in a short-term deal while the buyer completes entitlements for redevelopment.
An asking price for the three sites was not disclosed, the Los Angeles Business Journal reports, and both Albertsons and the company’s representatives Louis J. Tomaselli and Zachary P. Niles of JLL’s Irvine office have not returned a comment to the publication on the matter.
The business journal did however speak with John Hollingsworth, Executive Managing Director at Colliers International’s El Segundo office, who said typically industrial land in the El Monte area sells for an average of $30 a square foot, which would value the first property at around $120 million. He also intimated that industrial land in Santa Fe Springs sells for an average of $40 a square foot, which would value that property at roughly $136 million.
How will this potential $250 million price tag affect the company’s business? Stay tuned as the AndNowUKnow team follows the story.
NEWARK, DE - This past May, PMA launched one of the organization's newest initiatives, Eating by Example, designed to increase produce consumption by starting within the produce industry itself. With Fresh Summit a little over a month away, we are helping to promote the cause as the team behind the program ramps up for the show.
“We work in an industry that promotes the best stuff on earth. This is a great way for all of us to walk the walk and put our fruits and veggies where our mouths are!” Matt Mandel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at SunFed and one of six passionate professionals leading the charge, tells me.
Cassie Howard, Sunkist Manager of Corporate Category Management and also another member on the Eating by Example task force, echoed similar thoughts on the initiative, “As future leaders in this industry we recognized the disconnect that often occurs as we talk about the great benefits of fresh produce and increasing consumption at company and industry events while eating pastries, cakes or sweets. We felt that as industry members, we had an opportunity to change those habits and set an example for consumers by showing how great and easy it is to consume the healthy products we produce. The Eating by Example program has been created by the industry, for the industry.”
Eating by Example encourages industry members to pledge to do just what it says – eat by example. By signing up, you pledge to incorporate more delicious produce at company and industry events. Visit www.pma.com/eatingbyexample and add your name and company. Also, join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #EatingbyExample. No registration fees or check-ins. Essentially, by signing up you commit to provide more delicious produce at company/industry events.
The team spearheading the program also includes Caitlin Antle Wilson of Tanimura & Antle, Juliette King of King Orchards, Lukasz Gorajek of Valley Produce, Tyler Clear of Deardorff Family Farms and the rest of the PMA Foundation Emerging Leaders Program graduates.
“It is so easy in the produce industry to get away from what we all do every day - we grow, pack, cool, ship, sell, and support Mother Nature's greatest medicine - Fresh Fruits and Vegetables,” Caitlin tells me. “Choosing to incorporate the #EatingByExample initiative in the workplace is a good and healthy reminder to us all of this!”
The Produce Mom, Lori Taylor, will be featuring #EatingByExample and a few other PMA initiatives as part of her annual Twitter party on the PMA show floor on Saturday to help support the initiative. In addition, there will also be healthier than ever food and drink options throughout the entire conference.
“We hope that every member of PMA catches the #EatingByExample bug and get's on board,” Caitlin adds. “There is no reason why this initiative can’t become a part of who we are as an industry permanently. We are working on plans for furthering the continuation of the initiative.”
@pma staff taking the pledge to continue #eatingbyexample what about you? pic.twitter.com/bdacv8iBwc
— Shawn Wootten (@ShawnW_PMA) September 16, 2015Also involved in Eating by Example are three equally passionate fresh produce professionals and proud PMA Foundation Emerging Leaders Program graduates: Elena Hernandez of Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Kathleen Elliott of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and Kim Saxer of Monsanto Company.
SANTA PAULA, CA - Calavo Growers is expanding its tomato program, appointing a new leader to help nurture the growth.
Brian Bernauer is the company’s new Director of Nogales Operations, bringing more than 25 years of grower-shipper experience to the role.
“Calavo is very excited to have Brian on board,” Ken Catchot, President and Chief Operating Officer for Calavo, said in a press release. “He brings with him great experience in tomato sales, operations and grower relations that will be an asset to our expanding tomato program.”
Bernauer brings the majority of his grower-shipper experience from a tenure at Fresh Pac International, where he served as Director of Sales and Marketing for nearly 27 years. He also previously worked as a Produce Buyer for Safeway and Director of Business Development for Rene Produce.
In his newly-created position, Bernauer will direct all aspects of Calavo’s tomato program for Nogales, AZ and McAllen, TX, including:
- Sales
- Grower Relations
- Shipping Operations
Bernauer is already based in Nogales, having reportedly assumed these leadership responsibilities when his post officially went to effect on September 1, 2015.