KINGSVILLE, ON - Del Fresco Produce is planning for future growth as we move through 2015, with a recent expansion project and new elements to its produce program. The company opened its state-of-the-art, 15-acre glass greenhouse two months ago and is now offering new Del Fresco Heirloom Tomatoes and new Sweetreats™ Mini Sweet Peppers along with other Del Fresco specialty items.
Ray Mastronardi, Vice-President of Sales, tells me that this expansion is a major step in the right direction for the company as it looks to expand its program and its capabilities. “Del Fresco Produce will soon be focusing their attention on a new organic produce line in the very near future. We are a very proactive team and are always analyzing market trends and demands in order to service our customers at the highest level.”
Some features of the new greenhouse are energy curtains/shade curtains, allowing Del Fresco to save energy and create a better micro climate for crops as well as new boilers which will collect and reuse the CO2 as a fertilizer for plants, which will in turn decrease the company’s carbon footprint on the environment.
In addition, the company opened its new 70,000 Sq. Ft. advanced high-efficiency warehouse this week, for shipping and receiving to increase efficiencies and provide the best quality and service to Del Fresco customers. Insulated panels, LED lighting, sealed dock systems, high R-value (thermal resistance) are just a handful of the warehouse features. New packing lines are soon to follow. The last phase of the company’s expansion project is Del Fresco’s brand new 7,000 Sq. Ft. office space, which will be opening in the very near future.
“All of these new expansions and features will make immense improvements in our packaging, growing, heating, lighting and distribution efficiencies,” Ray continued.
To add an accolade on top of the success of Del Fresco’s most recent projects, the company also took first prize in the annual Greenhouse Competition presented by R.E.A.C.H. International for Best TOV.
“This award truly solidifies our brand. In addition to the Best TOV award, we took home the Best Bite-Size Tomato, which is a two-time, back-to-back, 2014 and 2015 winner in the Greenhouse Competition for Best Bite-Size Tomato. This sweet and flavorful tomato goes under the brand name Oranchino™,” Ray added.
Congratulations to the team at Del Fresco produce on your continued growth and brand recognition.
JUPITER, FL - Locus Traxx Worldwide has announced that CEO David Benjamin will be a conference session speaker at the 14th IoT Evolution Expo in Las Vegas on August 19th and 20th. Benjamin will be taking the time to speak about what he believes is the impact of global real-time supply chain monitoring and the Internet of Things (IoT).
David Benjamin is a speaker in two sessions at the IoT Evolution Expo. The first session, titled “Lessons in Cold Chain: Food and Beverage,” is part of the M2M Evolution Conference on August 19th at 8:30 a.m.
“From Farm to Fork, the IoT will play a role in maintaining freshness, safety and the strong viability of this critical industry,” said Benjamin. “I will focus on the real-time monitoring of the transportation cycle and the effect of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and how the IoT will solve the impact of the new Sanitary Transportation Regulations.”
The second session, “Supply Chain Logistics: Realities of Worldwide Delivery,” will be on August 20th at 10:00 a.m. at the Connected Transportation Conference. Here, Benjamin will discuss how innovative wireless tracking provides actionable data to improve safety and the bottom-line of logistics operations worldwide. Attendees will be invited to follow along with real world, real-time examples and learn from industry experts on how this “Big Data” play is delivering insight and value to the global market.
Locus Traxx Worldwide delivers real-time monitoring of temperature, location, and security for perishable and high value products on a global scale. According to a press release, David will demonstrate how the first low cost disposable edge device, the SmartTraxx GO, has impacted global logistics. Locus Traxx Worldwide was announced as winning both the 2015 IoT Evolution Asset Tracking Award and the 2015 IoT Evolution Product of the Year Award.
ORLANDO, FL - Chiquita is set to open a new division headquarters in Orlando, Florida.
According to a report from the Orlando Sentinel, a spokeswoman for Chiquita confirmed that the company is moving to the busy Florida city, saying that about 200 jobs would be split between two Florida locations, with the Central Florida location slated to open in Orange County.
As we previously reported, Chiquita announced an early exit from its Charlotte, North Carolina headquarters following a merger agreement made with Cutrale/Safra. Now, according to the Sentinel’s report, the company has been hiring aggressively in the Central Florida region for the last several weeks, with several open positions still posted on the company’s website in both Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.
“Chiquita is definitely making a big move here,” Dan Cabrera, a Division Director for the Orlando-based recruitment firm Parker & Lynch, said in the report. “I’ve lost two good placement candidates to Chiquita recently – a payroll administrator and an accountant.”
This appears to be good news for the Florida region, which has reportedly had a tight job market. Chiquita and Walt Disney World Resort announced an agreement in 2011 that included some brand exclusivity to the fruit company at both Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line. Now the Orlando Sentinel says that Chiquita’s Fresh Express administrative offices will be much closer and more accessible to the Disney corporation.
Keep checking in with AndNowUKnow for all the latest industry news.
PHOENIX, AZ - Randy Scott, the former Category Manager at Food Lion, has recently joined Sprouts Farmers Market as its Senior Manager of Produce Procurement.
A produce and retail veteran of over 25 years, Mr. Scott served as the Category Manager at Food Lion since 1991, according to his LinkedIn profile. Known for his produce expertise and professionalism, he is admired by many of his peers and has built a number of relationships with key produce and retail industry members alike.
Jim Corby, Director of Produce at Save Mart Supermarkets, tells me, “I have never met or worked with anyone as knowledgeable as Randy is about the produce industry and the supply chain that makes it work.”
Mr. Scott was also named to the United Fresh Produce Association’s Board of Directors in 2010, and served as a member of the United Fresh Retail-Foodservice Board. He was also named Co-Chairman of the United Fresh 2009 Convention, according to Bloomberg Business.
Rex Lawrence, President and Founder of Joe Produce, congratulated Mr. Scott on his new hire, noting his strong experience in the industry.
“Randy is a great hire for Sprouts. He is extremely knowledgeable, well respected in the industry, and a great guy. He’s a true produce professional and well-informed, with tons of experience,” said Lawrence. “It’s obvious that Sprouts is working on building a ‘dream team’ in their produce department, and Randy is a great addition to some already strong players.”
Mr. Scott brings with him a wealth of experience in retail, merchandising, and inventory management. It’s clear that he will be extremely valuable to Sprouts’ produce business.
AndNowUKnow would like to congratulate his appointment to the Sprouts produce team.
BAKERSFIELD, CA - Sun World is giving its website a sleeker, more natural design to give consumers a greater comprehensive online experience.
The new website, which can be found by clicking here, has been optimized for mobile devices and search-engines and offers visitors customized content, including:
- Grape Recipes
Sun World’s recipe library shows consumers a number of fun, tasty ways to take advantage of the crisp texture and juicy aromatic flavor of grapes.
- How-To Guides
A handy collection of step-by-step tips to show consumers how to select, wash, freeze, and grow their own grapes.
- Health Information
Includes grape nutrition facts, beneficial nutrients, and their positive effects on health.
- Social Media Engagement
Visitors can post and share content, as well as connect with SunWorldFruit on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.
“Like all of our marketing activities, the new Sun World website was designed based on consumer insights to help us better engage, educate, and entertain people,” said Natalie Erlendson, Marketing Manager. “We’re creating an experience with the Sun World brand online that compliments the outstanding eating experience our proprietary grapes give.”
Gordon Robertson, Executive Vice President, added, “The website is part of a larger strategy to build Sun World as the trusted brand for grapes which can increase demand and drive consumption for our customers.”
Sun World’s consumer marketing efforts also include social media, sweepstakes, retail shopper marketing programs, branded packaging, and new item innovations.
SALINAS, CA - Mann Packing is excited to celebrate all things veggie at the upcoming PMA Foodservice Expo in Monterey, CA.
The theme? Viva La Veggies – a party on your plate!
“The Mann team continues to innovate time and labor-saving delicious fresh products for our foodservice customers and this is a great place to showcase everything we do,” Gina Nucci, Director of Foodservice Marketing, said in a press release. “We want to liven up the booth and have a little fun at the show – it’s all about surprise and having a good time.”
That Mann Packing booth will be a busy one, introducing the company’s new special variety of jumbo kohlrabi, showcasing its new Veggie Power Blend™, and sharing highlights from its latest vegetable trends research report.
Kohlrabi, considered a cousin to broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts, is part of the Brassica Oleracea family. The special variety of jumbo kohlrabi, according to Mann Packing, is a larger variety that gives higher yields of useable product than current smaller bunching types. At the same time, it maintains both quality flavor and texture.
Mann Packing’s new Veggie Power Blend™ can be used in a variety of applications. With a splash of color and texture, the blend features a number of trending ingredients in various cuts, including:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
- Brussels sprouts
- Kale
- Radicchio and golden beets
Chef Brian Copp, Sous Chef at Montrio Bistro in Monterey, CA, will be serving samples of both items, and the booth will have copies of the “Chef’s Guide to Kohlrabi” for attendees to catch the #kohlrabicraze. The jumbo kohlrabi recipe is, in fact, a finalist in the PMA Foodservice Sensory Experience contest, which Mann has won in previous years.
All this, along with a showcase of its full line of commodity and value-added items, will be available at Mann’s booth #139 July 24th through July 26th.
MORGAN HILL, CA - Sakata Seed America has unveiled a new variety of cantaloupe that offers durability, yield, and flavor. Bred through traditional breeding practices, the new Infinite Gold LSL (Long Shelf Life) melon offers increased shelf life, high-yield potential, and higher quality flavor.
The melon features good holding ability in the field, allowing more flexibility when it comes to harvest, long-distance transportation and prolonged freshness on the retailer’s shelf, in the professional chef’s kitchen and on the consumer’s counter.
“Infinite Gold is the next big thing in cantaloupes, where strong performance meets great fruit quality,” said Gattis Guffey, Senior Melon Product Development Manager at Sakata. “Over the past 10 years, cantaloupes have been limited to one or two of the following attributes - durability, yield or flavor. Infinite Gold delivers all three of these, which means growers and suppliers no longer have to sacrifice one for the other.”
The long shelf life characteristics of Infinite Gold were developed to help provide growers with flexibility in harvest timing based on weather, market prices, or the availability of labor. According to a press release, they can be harvested in as little as two to three trips, as opposed to seven or eight for Western Shipper types. Fewer passes is expected to save growers money on fertilizer, water, and require fewer people and machines, also reducing the risk of contamination and minimizing food safety hazards.
Typically, developing an LSL melon comes at the cost of overall flavor, but that was not the case with Sakata. Infinite Gold offers the flavor and deep coloring that consumers love, Sakata says, creating the perfect balance between melony, musky, sweet and floral.
“What we have done is develop a premium melon that provides benefits at all levels of the supply chain,” said Guffey. “Not only do growers experience the benefits, but packers, shippers, foodservice distributors, processors, retailers and consumers all reap the rewards. At Sakata, we believe in Infinite Gold and we’re committed to educating all levels of the industry and the consumer about its amazing benefits.
Sakata is inviting PMA Foodservice attendees to come taste the Infinite Gold difference for themselves. The company will serve Infinite Gold Margaritas and appetizers made with the melon during the Networking Lounge and Education Center Happy Hour on Friday, July 24 at 3:00 p.m. in the Monterey Marriott. You can learn more at http://InfiniteCantaloupe.com.
FLOWOOD, MS - US Foods has opened a new distribution center in Flowood, MS with a grand opening event for employees, customers and stakeholders today.
The new facility is 272,000 square feet and is expected to serve more than 4000 chefs, restaurant owners and foodservice operators throughout Mississippi and Louisiana. The company also says this is its 6th LEED-certified facility, featuring an environmentally conscious design maximized for energy efficiency, according to a press release.
“This is an exciting day for US Foods and for our customers throughout Mississippi as this new facility allows us to more efficiently service our customers and provides our employees with an exceptional working environment,” said Gil Smith, Division President of US Foods. “This new building has everything we need to be able to keep kitchens cooking for our customers for many years to come.”
A focus of the new Mississippi building is its state-of-the-art kitchen, US Foods Kitchens. This kitchen welcomes more than 10,000 restaurateurs each year to collaborate on developing new menu items and ensure profitability and popularity for their own diners. This facility, known as the Jackson Division, features a demonstration kitchen stocked with culinary tools, the latest A/V equipment and menu development software, allowing for training and product testing.
The new distribution center was built after the original location was destroyed by a tornado last April. Now, over a year later, US Foods has reconstructed what the company calls a bigger and better facility that allows them to continue to support and service its Jackson and New Orleans area customers.
“This past year has been all about rebuilding, and we couldn’t have done it without help from our community,” said Smith. “The support that we’ve received just reinforces what we already knew – Flowood is one of the best business communities in the country.”
Other notable facility features include temperature-controlled zones for optimal food safety, a significantly increased selection of fresh produce and products, and two produce ripening rooms.
IRVINE, CA - Haggen has announced that it will be cutting back on hundreds of jobs in the coming weeks, as many as six to ten per store across the Southwest region of its newly-opened distribution.
“To ensure we’re operating as efficiently as possible, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily cut back on staffing at our stores, with specific reductions varying by store,” Bill Shaner, CEO for Haggen’s Southwest Region, said in a Orange County Register report.
Hundreds of employees will be laid off as a result, with many full-time employees being converted to part-time, according to the Register. Shaner added that as the company introduces itself throughout Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada, it is challenged to “establish and grow the brand in competitive new markets, while working to bring the complete Haggen experience to our stores.”
The local workers union, United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 324 in Buena Park, is reportedly filing a grievance in response of the retailer’s move to cut full-time employee hours to part-time.
Greg Conger, President of Union Local 324, told the Register that those being scaled back from full-time to part-time employment are having a grievance filed on their behalf because the action of “arbitrarily reducing someone from full-time to part-time without recognizing seniority is against the contract.”
For now, it seems, all that is apparent is that Haggen is still combating the challenge of establishing itself in the new market it acquired with its 146 former Safeway/Albertson’s-owned locations.
JAPAN - It’s great when Japan’s summer auction opens in the summer and wows the produce industry with a new record for fruit prices, but what about the rest of the year?
As we have previously reported, fruit is a luxury in the country akin to a good wine or caviar in U.S. culture. And according to the Wall Street Journal’s Lisa Du, a company called Ichigo Co. in Japan is using farming technology to cater to that luxury demand with strawberries of incredible size.
“Fruit is commonly sold as a luxury item in Japan, with farmers devoting time, care and selective breeding to create large and sweet varieties,” Du wrote, explaining in her report that these strawberries are priced even higher than usual because they are grown under LED lights in temperature- and humidity-controlled rooms.
To read the full Wall Street Journal report, click here.
Ichigo Co. began selling premium-sized strawberries at premium prices last week online. Weighing in at about 40 grams (approximately an ounce and a half), each berry is being sold at a fixed ¥1000 (about $8.00). That is almost twice the size of your typical “extra-large strawberry” which weighs on average about 27 grams, according to the report.
This is the first time the company has produced berries of this size, though it has been selling smaller-sized strawberries in packages of four and twelve at ¥700 (about $6.00) each since December.
Though they are the pride of Ichigo, the company said that it is still too early to gauge how well the strawberries are selling, according to the WSJ report, but said it has received positive reactions from customers.
Right now the super-sized strawberries can only be purchased online in packages of six individually wrapped berries, going for ¥6000 (nearly $50.00) apiece.