SAN JOSE, CA - September Mushroom Month is nearly upon us, and to celebrate, the Mushroom Council has some big plans in store. Partnering with the American Egg Board and YouTube celebrities to promote mushrooms and The Blend, this will surely be a month for mushroom lovers to remember.
The community-run Mushroom Festival, which kicks off in Kennett Square, PA on September 12th and 13th, is now in its 30th year of celebrating the versatile food, and seeks to provide consumers an opportunity to purchase fresh mushrooms, watch a mushroom eating contest, and try mushrooms in a variety of dishes.
On top of the highly anticipated festival, the Mushroom Council has partnered with the American Egg Board to develop a new Mushroom & Egg Infographic, which according to a press release, will be shared on both organization’s social channels and websites.
“The infographic illustrates fun facts, nutrition benefits and recipe ideas for both mushrooms and eggs,” explains Bart Minor, President of the Mushroom Council. “The infographic is intended to inspire customers to creatively pair eggs and mushrooms in new menu ideas for chefs and consumers.”
And that’s not where the partnerships end for the Council. It has also announced partnerships with two prominent YouTube channels, “Tasted” and “Chef Billy Parisi,” to develop a series of enticing mushroom Blend recipe demonstration videos. In the four-episode series, Tasted will be visiting kitchens of four major dining establishments across Los Angeles, where the chef and a friendly rival will face off in a culinary battle to create the best Blend burger. According to the Council, the videos will be posted and shared with each YouTube personality’s extensive audience throughout September to maintain the momentum of Mushroom Month.
As a conclusion to the Mushroom Month’s activities, the Council will be celebrating the winners of the Better Burger Project campaign. As we’ve mentioned in prior stories, the Better Burger Project partnership with the James Beard Foundation has challenged chefs to transform their burgers by blending at least 25 percent mushrooms with meat to create a delicious, sustainable and healthy burger. With over 220 chefs across the country participating in the campaign from Memorial Day through July 31st, five winners have been selected.
The five winners include:
- Chef Dan Nichols from Quaff ON from Bloomington
- Chef Carolyn Manning from Blue Southern Comfort Food in Shreveport
- Chef Rob Ray from Bell Acres in Memphis
- Chef Lorin Watada from Bachi Burger in Los Angeles
- Chefs Kiel Campbell and Fiore Moletz from Burgh’ers Restaurant in Harmony, PA
All chefs will travel to New York City where they will serve their “Better Burgers” at the official welcome reception of the 2015 JBF Food Conference, taking place Sunday, October 18, at the historic James Beard House. The Mushroom Council will promote these chefs and their creative Blend recipes through social and traditional media throughout September.
To learn more about the Better Burger Project, watch the video above.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA - Dole Food Co. CEO David Murdock and former COO Michael Carter have been ordered to pay shareholders $148 million.
According to a Market Watch report, both the current CEO and former company COO paid $13.50 a share, more than $3.00 less than the $16.24 a share Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster found it was worth. Laster stated in the report that he did not find other Dole board members and Deutsche Bank AG, the company's financial adviser, liable for any damages.
Though the plaintiffs, a group of former Dole shareholders, had sought more than $25 a share, a Delaware judge ruled the two executives pay a lump sum of $148 million back to shareholders.
Laster stated that the Dole Executives’ lowballing potential cost savings and canceling a previously announced stock buyback in the spring of 2013 drove the stock price down, according to Market Watch.
The decision follows a nine-day-long trial that took place in February. Delaware Online reported that the Vice Chancellor said Murdock and Carter had “credibility problems at trial” and demonstrated their actions were “not innocent or inadvertent, but rather intentional and in bad faith.”
Upon the ruling, Laster wrote a statement calling the award in damages "conservative relative to what the evidence could support," according to the report.
Carter, Murdock, and Dole were reportedly not immediately available for comment on the matter.
FOWLER, CA - Bee Sweet Citrus is making moves to promote its Sweetheart Mandarins for the back-to-school season.
Offering a wide array of health benefits and an “undeniably sweet” flavor profile, Sweetheart Mandarins are also easy-to-peel, seedless, and small, making them the perfect back-to-school snack.
“Kids of all ages are sure to love our Sweetheart Mandarins,” Jim Marderosian, Bee Sweet Citrus President, said in a press release. “They’re undeniably sweet and extremely healthy. What’s not to love?”
Marderosian also explained that Sweetheart Mandarins are a healthy alternative to junk food items. One item of fruit provides approximately 80 percent of the recommended daily vitamin C intake, and at least 10 percent of the daily recommended value of fiber, the company states in a press release.
Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents during the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bee Sweet Citrus hopes that by including Sweetheart Mandarins in school lunchboxes, parents can provide their kids with a healthy snack and also curb their sugar cravings.
EMERYVILLE, CA - As Grocery Outlet continues to expand its reach nationwide, the Emeryville, California-based retailer is on the move and hunting for talent.
Grocery Outlet’s world class buying team is known for cultivating a culture of collaborative relationships with more than 2,500 supplier partners. In order to maintain Grocery Outlets' high standards, the company focuses on its values of ingenuity, transparency, creativity, dedication and collaboration along with a keen eye for value and exceptional negotiating skills.
The company is currently seeking to hire three Merchandisers and a Director of Produce Merchandising & Training to join the corporate team as Grocery Outlet looks to grow its ranks.
To apply to the Produce and Floral Merchandiser position, click the link below.
“We are looking for motivated, outstanding performers that are interested in a fast-paced environment that allows creativity, autonomy, collaboration and execution,” Scot Olson, Director of Produce and Floral, tells me. “We believe in a culture that values excellence in performance while emphasizing family values and having fun while doing it.”
The retailer is also currently engaged in a very aggressive expansion strategy in all six states where they operate.
"We are actively pursuing various other new markets with a vision of a potentially nationwide scope in the near future,” Scot adds.
Grocery Outlet's growth is powered in part by Hellman & Friedman, a private equity firm that acquired Grocery Outlet in September 2014.
Serving bargain seeking customers since 1946, the privately held company generates annual revenues exceeding $1.5 billion and employs approximately 1,000 people across the US. The Grocery Outlet Bargain Market brand currently includes over 220 independently operated stores in California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Washington and Pennsylvania; in large and small cities and in a variety of neighborhoods throughout the country.
If you would like a more detailed description of the positions, please contact Scot Olson by email at [email protected] or by phone at (510) 704-2842.
CHAO, PERU - Mission Produce has announced the company has exported the first-ever container of fresh avocados from Peru to China.
“China represents an important market for Peruvian avocados, so we welcome the fact that the MINAGRI, through the National Service of Agrarian Health (SENASA), has made efforts necessary to gain entrance for Peruvian fruit,” said Simon Gonzalez, General Manager of Mission’s avocado packing company.
Grown on Mission-owned ranches in Peru and packed at Mission’s Avocado Packing facility in Chao (La Libertad) Peru, the first shipment left the port of Paita and is expected to arrive at the Chinese port of Shanghai by mid-September. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MINAGRI) in Peru, significant export volumes will start hitting China’s market of 1.4 billion potential consumers in the near future.
“We are very pleased with the efforts of everyone involved in Peru to make this happen—from our growers, to packing and logistics, to the Peruvian governmental agencies that helped make this a reality,” said Steve Barnard, CEO of Mission.
According to a press release, Peru boasts large areas dedicated to avocado production along the coast in the region of La Libertad. Peruvian ranches owned by Mission include Arato, near Chao, and Beggie, near Viru, and are part of the total production of approximately 10,000 hectares. SENASA has reportedly certified 8,000 of the company’s hectares.
“It is a big step for China to open the protocol for Peruvian fruit because this gives China a true, year-round supply to compliment other avocado sources during the season. Mission is fortunate to have a trusted partner in China that matches our values and philosophy of doing business,” says Tommy Padilla, Mission’s Asia Sales Manager. “They reach the various marketing channels in China including supermarkets, fruit stands, push carts, farmer’s markets and small wet markets in all regions in China, not just the big cities of Beijing and Shanghai.”
In order to meet the challenge of growing the avocado business in China, Mission turned to Lantao, and its CEO John Wang.
“The Lantao team is from mainland China, so we understand the consumer market in China better than anyone in the fruit import business,” said Wang. “Our team came up with a comprehensive plan to reach the various marketing channels including using POP materials and an e-commerce platform on WeChat to help educate the consumers on the uses of avocados.”
As a distributor of fruit from seven regional offices throughout China, Wang and Lantao believe the company is doing a great job covering the first tier, second tier and even third-tier cities in China.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - With this year’s Washington Conference just a month away, members from across the entire produce industry are coming together to ensure their voice is heard by government officials.
Tom Stenzel, President and CEO of United Fresh, joined me for a brief interview on what attendees can expect to see and hear at Capitol Hill. Listen to our interview above, or keep reading for a few brief snippets from our conversation.
“All of our attendees who come this year will be meeting with different members of Congress to talk about the importance of getting more fresh fruits and vegetables to our kids,” Stenzel tells me. “It’s a chance for the industry to present a collective voice to Congress, whether it’s nutrition policy, immigration reform, talking more about food safety and the coming rules under the Food Safety Modernization Act – it’s really a chance for us to deliver our messages to Capitol Hill.”
The Washington Conference, now in its 20th year, will bring together 500 different industry leaders, from growers to wholesalers to retailers and foodservice companies, to work together on common issues that our industry faces today.
Keynote speakers at the Washington Conference will include Congressman David Valadao from California, who authored a bill to help drought conditions in the state, and Congressman Tim Ryan from Ohio, who has helped get more salad bars in schools.
“We have over 200 individual meetings with members of Congress, so it’s really a great exchange between making government alive for our industry and having our industry deliver our messages to government,” Stenzel said.
The Washington Conference will take place on September 28-30. If you haven’t registered yet, you may do so by clicking the link below.
For more on the Washington Conference, check out our interview with Tom Stenzel and stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
LOS ANGELES, CA - The California Avocado Commission (CAC) has hired advertising agency Mullen Lowe to help the company reach millennial audiences starting early next year.
Margaret Keene, Executive Creative Director for Mullen Lowe’s Los Angeles office, told news source Ad Week that CAC has an "integrated multi-platform approach," including digital and paid social, in the works. Reportedly, the commission wants to reach "younger consumers—some who currently are interested in a food's origin, some who might need more reasons to pay attention," she said.
Mullen Lowe, in a partnership with its sister company MediaHub, will take over creative and media duties, respectively, from Los Angeles agency Amusement Park. Amusement Park is the agency who initially employed the tagline "Hand Grown in California." According to Keene, future work will also use that concept as a jumping-off point for appeals that, "build emotional connections both to California Avocados as well as our home state.”
According to Ad Week, media spending for the Commission has not surpassed $4.5 million in the past several years, but with the category being so popular, it just may rise. Hass Avocados alone saw sales rise to a record 1.9 billion pounds, which the publication says is twice the amount consumed a decade ago.
This isn’t the first time an avocado-based organization has dropped big dollars for flashy advertising either. This year’s Super Bowl showcased a commercial paid for by Avocados From Mexico that featured ex-NFL stars Jerry Rice and Doug Flutie and captured more than 1 billion media impressions, Ad Week says.
Other past or present clients of Mullen Lowe have included Google, Acura, Adidas, Jet Blue, and National Geographic. To find out more about the agency, you can visit the company’s surprisingly entertaining website here.
BOISE, ID - Albertson's has modified its IPO filing, now including results from its fiscal 2015 year. The results reflect a rise in comparative store sales.
As we previously reported, the retail chain that has combined with Safeway to become one of the larger names in the business officially filed to go public early last month.
According to the updated filing, Albertson’s saw a growth in identical store sales of 7.7% in the fiscal 2014 year, and 5.1% in the first quarter of 2015, excluding Safeway.
“We believe that the execution of our operating playbook, among other factors, including improved economic conditions and consumer confidence, has enabled us to grow sales, profitability and free cash flow across our business,” the document states, using these numbers to corroborate its statement.
The company added that it is currently executing on an annual synergy plan of approximately $800 million related to its Safeway acquisition, adding that it expects to achieve this by the end of fiscal 2018. By the end of this fiscal year Albertson’s anticipates it can deliver annual run-rate synergies of around $440 million.
Other Q1 highlights the company added to the filing included:
- Generated net sales of $18.1 billion
- Adjusted EBITDA of $728 million
- Free cash flow of $513 million
“In addition to realizing increased sales, profitability and free cash flow through the implementation of our operating playbook, we expect synergies from the Safeway acquisition to enhance our profitability and free cash flow over the next few years,” Albertson’s stated.
Upon filing for the IPO, the retailer proposed a maximum aggregate offering price of $100 million.
YAKIMA, WA & SHANGHAI, CHINA - Domex Superfresh Growers is sending the first ever shipment of Gala Apples from Washington State to Shanghai this August, under the new agreement made by the company with fruit importer, Lantao.
“As the largest supplier of Gala Apples from the State of Washington, USA, we are honored and excited to have the opportunity to share our growers’ passion for nurturing and delivering safe, nutritious and consistently high quality fruit,” said Robert Kershaw, President of Domex Superfresh Growers. “The apples are grown in ideal conditions in our rich volcanic soil with an abundance of sunshine and sparkling clean water.”
China’s markets were opened for Gala and other apple varieties from the USA by the U.S. and Chinese governments on January 26 of this year. Up until the new Chinese apple protocol, only Washington State Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apples were allowed into the country. It has taken several years of negotiations and the access of China’s Fuji apple to the USA in order to get full-varietal access for all USA varieties to China, according to a press release.
Lantao will use its Shanghai headquarters as a launching point to distribute the Galas throughout several markets in China.
“The Lantao team is from mainland China, so we understand the consumer market in China better than anyone in the fruit import business,” said John Wang, CEO of Lantao. “Our capabilities allow us to reach the various marketing channels in China including e-commerce, supermarkets, fruit stands, push carts, farmer’s markets and small wet markets in all regions in China, not just the big-three cities of Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.”
Lantao is a major importer and distributor of fresh fruit from around the world into China, with distribution locations in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Zhengzhou, Herbing, Shenyang, and Qingdao.
LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, CA - The Memphis office for the Allen Lund Company welcomes a new manager as Matt Gronostaj moves up the ranks.
"Matt has been an extremely hard worker since joining Allen Lund Company,” Eddie Lund, Vice President of Sales and Branch Operations for Allen Lund Company, said in a release, adding that he is really excited to work with him. “His leadership skills have blossomed over the last few years which made him an ideal candidate to run the office and take it to the next level."
Matt has been with the company for ten years, having joined the team in 2005 after working in warehousing. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Logistics from the University of Memphis, where he graduated in 2001.
"I am very excited and grateful for the opportunity to manage the Memphis Office," Matt said in the release, adding, "I feel that my 10 years of hard work have prepared me well to take on this great opportunity."
Matt also stated that the company has a very solid core, and that he looks forward to growing into a bigger and more successful team.