PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA - Reinhart Foodservice is continuing to expand its business model and has selected Prince William County as a distribution hub and new facility to service customers in the Greater Washington, DC metropolitan area and the East Coast. Along with creating more than 100 jobs, Reinhart plans to invest significant capital in the new facility, according to MarketWatch.
Reinhart also joins The Martin Brower Company as the second Reyes Holdings business unit to locate to the county. Reyes Holdings is the 11th largest privately held company in the U.S. with over $23 billion in annual sales.
“We are excited to be in Prince William County,” said James V. Reyes, Chairman of Reyes Holdings. “Our new location, which is situated just off of Interstate 66 offers immediate access to rail, allows us to optimize delivery times and better serve our core customers based in the Greater Washington, DC metropolitan area and beyond.”
“I would like to sincerely thank the Prince William County Department of Economic Development for their invaluable assistance. From site selection to the commencement of operations, they advised and worked with us every step of the way,” added Reyes.
This ideal, Mid-Atlantic location touts easy access to a large customer base and five of the ten largest U.S. markets – New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Atlanta and Boston. In addition, these markets are all within a day’s drive of the facility. What else? Immediate access to two major Interstate corridors - I-66 and I-95; along with multiple 4-lane arterials; CSX and Norfolk Southern cargo lines; Washington Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, all offering a competitive advantage of fast access to global markets, the publication notes.
“We are delighted to welcome Reinhart, our newest addition of Reyes Holdings businesses to Prince William County,” said Corey A. Stewart, Chairman, Prince William Board of County Supervisors. “Just one year ago we revised our targeted industry sectors to attract additional ‘growth industries’ to the County. Having an industry leader, like Reinhart join our growing food services distribution companies reaffirms this decision.”
Reinhart serves 65,000 customers delivering food products, equipment, chemicals and other supplies related to the foodservice industry from 31 regional distribution centers located throughout the eastern half of the United States.
GRAND FORKS, ND - There is a fresh new look in store for Black Gold Farms, as the company looks to differentiate its program and potatoes this summer. This new re-branding effort and materials will translate a comprehensive, consistent look and feel throughout all of Black Gold Farms' audiences.
Customers and consumers can expect new sales materials, a new website, enhanced social media, community outreach programs, fresh tradeshow presence, new packaging, in-store materials and other components to roll out throughout the year, according to a press release.
“We wanted to make sure we’re connecting what we’re doing in the field and on the farm, to what we do in our communities, to how that affects the products we deliver to our customers. Then, at the end of the day, our consumers need to be excited about those products and that story. Regardless of what we do, what we grow, or where we grow – we want to make sure the message is the same to each audience – that when we dig together, we dig deeper,” said Leah Brakke, Director of Marketing for Black Gold Farms.
Black Gold Farms is continuing its commitment to harnessing the latest science and technology by consistently improving its programs, creating better ways to produce fresh and healthy food, while also remaining a part of the community and protect the earth. Regardless of whether it’s red potatoes, sweet potatoes or chip potatoes, this sentiment resonates throughout all aspects of Black Gold Farms.
The three main pillars of the brand that each audience will fall under is Plate, Community or World, the company notes.
Eric Halverson, CEO of Black Gold Farms states, “We have a lot of moving parts to our operation, and many different audiences that care about many different things. We really felt that we needed one solid message that regardless of who we were talking to, they understand what we stand for – Our goal is to make it easier for everyone to enjoy the food that we grow, and to show that we’re grateful to those who trust us to get the job done – regardless if it’s a retailer, an employee, or a consumer.”
Congrats to Black Gold Farms as the company continues to innovate.
Welcome to What's In Store.
Quality Control users now have a mobile way to collect the inspection data and pictures they need. Produce Pro Software is introducing its Quality Control App, allowing users to easily perform product inspections, capture product images, and generate inspection reports. This way, users can start an inspection before product is taken off the truck, after it is received, or anytime it is in inventory.
Instead of the manual pen and paper of the past, you can now replace calling vendors, buyers, and salespeople and let Produce Pro tell them the product quality. The Quality Control App allows staff to evaluate product through a mobile device, and then have all the information automatically saved onto the lots within Produce Pro. The inspection report PDF can be viewed within Produce Pro and emailed to a vendor, doing the extra work so you don’t have to.
When a report is made, the inspection page pulls the criteria from your Produce Pro system based on the commodity and gives a score. Produce Pro Software’s quality scoring is specific to each business and based on specific quality parameters. The values are then stored on the company’s lot. Using the Quality Control app, you can increase the visibility of your product quality faster then ever, and make communications between buyers and vendors a breeze.
Thank you for watching What’s In Store.
SALINAS, CA – There is a new line of fresh cut vegetables to please your palate this season, courtesy of Mann Packing.
Mann’s Culinary Cuts® are a new line of fresh cut vegetables in distinctive shapes, including Sweet Potato Ribbons and Butternut Squash Zigzags. Mann’s Culinary Cuts® have been in test markets across the country and are now available to customers across the country.
These versatile vegetables are great additions to any meal and are washed and ready to cook with the opportunity for multiple uses in salads, stir-frys, soups and casseroles. These fresh vegetables are all natural, preservative-free and gluten-free, according to a press release.
“I’m a mom and I know it can be a battle to get kids to eat their vegetables,” said CEO Lorri Koster. “We made Culinary Cuts for parents who want to make healthy eating fun, but also for the everyday home cook who’s looking for some creativity to spark tonight’s dinner.”
Each package contains four to five, 1-cup servings and can be prepared in four minutes or less in the microwave, sautéed, steamed or on the stovetop. Also provided are detailed cooking instructions in each package along with three unique recipes and usage ideas.
The company took the new product launch one step further and also created a micro-site, CulinaryCutsClub.com, to provide a community for sharing recipes, serving ideas and notifications about where to find the items on sale.
“Culinary Cuts help solve the recipe rut,” Koster addes. “Shoppers want variety but often lack the time or skill to plan in advance. We help defeat meal fatigue where you cook the same ingredients the same way; one look at these new cuts and you’ll be inspired to get into the kitchen.”
The product line was two years in in the making, involving extensive consumer research, test markets, professional recipe development and online research.
Mann has also created new-to-the-world products such as Broccoli Wokly®, Broccoli Cole Slaw and Stringless Sugar Snap Peas.
CHICAGO, IL - At this year's United Fresh convention, 45 fresh fruit and vegetable innovations were on display for attendees to admire and vote for the best, but only five could be named as the top winners.
“We’re excited to announce the winners of the 2015 New Product Awards,” said John Toner, United’s Vice President of Convention & Industry Collaboration. “Of the record 45 finalists, the five winners exemplify exceptional ingenuity in fresh produce.”
Did your favorite make the cut? Check out the list of winners below.
Best New Food Safety Solution – GO LUX, Locus Traxx Worldwide
The GO LUX is the first recyclable, low cost, real-time temperature and location-monitoring device for perishables. With this new product, Locus Traxx has added enhanced security. The LUX senses light, alerts you when your products are at risk on the road, and records when doors are opened at the dock.
“This achievement solidifies our dedication to technological advancements in the industry and our passion to deliver the very best technology and service to our customers,” said David Benjamin, Locus Traxx CEO. “Our participation at this year’s United Fresh show was successful thanks to the hard work of the entire Locus Traxx team and we are delighted to accept this recognition.”
Best New Fruit Product – “On-the-Go” Fresh Blueberry Mix, Naturipe Farms, LLC
Naturipe’s new “Ready to Eat” fresh fruit snacks have debuted in two varieties: Mango/Blueberry and Grape/Blueberry. Both combinations feature fun, high-graphic packaging and come in single serve or trio sizes.
Best New Vegetable Product – Flavor Bombs Cherry Tomatoes, Mastronardi Produce/SUNSET®
This multi-award winning tomato is grown with seed exclusively sourced from the south of France.
Best New Packaging – ReadyRipe Watermelon Pouch, Maglio & Company
This gusseted pouch can extend the shelf life of watermelon for up to 11 days versus the shelf life of conventional overwrap and trays. It holds ¼” cut or ½” cut slices of watermelon.
“We’re very excited to have been honored with the United Fresh Innovation Award for Best New Packaging, as this gives us the opportunity to increase exposure of Maglio Companies products through innovative design,” said Joe Delgadillo, Product Innovation Manager at Maglio Companies. “We hope to continue to drive innovation in the category of fresh produce by providing new ways for consumers to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables with a longer shelf life.”
Best New Packing/Processing Equipment – Watermelon Peeler Chunker, ABL
This innovative system can be used to obtain watermelon chunk/spear directly from the whole fruit.
“New products like these are an essential element of the success of the fresh and fresh-cut produce industry,” said Tom Stenzel, United’s President and CEO. “Our member companies bring foresight about market trends and emerging technologies, and then apply creative ideas to capitalize on those trends, which contributes to the growth and profitability of our entire industry.”
Congratulations to all the winners!
KINGSVILLE, ON - Following a successful Leamington greenhouse season, Double Diamond Farms is now at the heart of its TOV season and expecting more fantastic quality from the crop.
In fall of last year, Double Diamond made headlines for both gaining official non-GMO certification and completing an impressive 35 acre expansion of its greenhouse facilities in Kingsville, ON. Now harvesting out of the High Tech Greenhouse, volumes for TOVs are higher than ever.
“Volumes are up, we about doubled our TOV acreage this year to keep up with our growing customer demand,” Jeremy Stockwell, Director of Procurement and Sales for Double Diamond shared with me. “Quality has been fantastic.”
Stockwell added that the weather has been a big factor in the quality of the season, giving an extra boost in TOV production.
“This has been a fantastic year, the cold winter helped because we had lots of sunny days,” he says. “This helped the plant gain strength earlier, so quality and production should be better through the life of the crop.”
Double Diamond expects a decent return for this higher quality crop too. Market conditions are good and will be stable over the next couple of months, Jeremy says.
When I ask Jeremy what retailers should know about Double Diamond’s Kingsville TOV season, he again emphasized the great quality that the company has been continuing to offer.
“We have the best quality,” Stockwell concluded “This is a result of having full control of the plant from seed to harvest, to packing and shipping. We demand nothing but the highest standards from all levels of our operations.“
Stay tuned as AndNowUKnow continues to update you on the TOV market, and everything Double Diamond Farms has to offer.
SACRAMENTO, CA - It would be great to say that we visited the local Nugget Market out of pure happenstance, but that’s not true. To get to Nugget and shop its produce aisles is about a 20 minute drive, but a drive worth its while.
The outside view of the store snags attention enough to project luxury without being cheesy, even with the greek-style statues above both doorways.
Stepping into the store, produce clearly gets the star treatment. While we have reported previously on the growing trend of promoting fruits and veggies front and center, this is different. You really have to work to get past the fresh foods to the packages and snack aisles.
Nugget also had posters featuring local growers and companies to connect a story to the produce being sold, its approach being to hang them from the ceiling, along with artistic labels hanging over each section being sold.
For example, you have to try in order to miss the organic section of produce being sold, as you can see below.
The market also had an interesting approach to showcasing the produce itself. Some of the items were a bit more traditionally stored; brightly-colored crates, stacked together in a clearly coordinated circular or cubic display on the shop floors.
The wet rack, however, held the vegetables in an almost artistically-designed shape of waves going in opposite directions, miraculously securing them into a heart-like shape. The fact that the center stock was artichoke hearts did not escape the eye, either.
And all around were farmers market-style canopies to emphasize that “locally grown” feel.
The trip was, overall, an educational one on how displaying produce a certain way can change the perception of it. The items looked brighter and the shapes made the trip one more of fun than obligation, more than likely putting patrons in a happier, much more cash-spending sort of mood.
GUADALUPE, CA - Apio, Inc., is responding to the growing demand for its expanding portfolio of value-added vegetable products by making a $22.5 million investment in its Hanover, PA, operations. This expansion will increase production lines from two to ten and more than triples the size of the Hanover facility, coming in at 64,000 square feet.
“North American shoppers are responding to our on-trend product portfolio, which includes Eat Smart Gourmet Vegetable Superfood Salad Kits like Eat Smart Sweet Kale Salad, Wild Greens and Quinoa Salad, and Beets and Greens Salad,” said Anne Byerly, Vice President of Marketing, Apio. “The expansion of Hanover will allow us to grow our Eat Smart and GreenLine brands particularly in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.”
Over the next three years, this new venture will add up to 200 jobs. Construction of the first phase is slated for a December 2015 completion, according to a press release. The expansion was made possible with the approval of a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) agreement approved by county, township and school board bodies.
“Solidifying Apio’s presence and long-term investment in York County is a win for the region,” said Darrell W. Auterson, President and CEO, York County Economic Alliance. “We welcome Apio’s expansion and the jobs they are bringing here.”
In addition, The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development offered a funding proposal including Job Creation Tax Credits, a Pennsylvania First Program grant and a WEDnetPA training grant valued at more than $1.1 million over the next three years.
Apio is a leading national producer of fresh-cut vegetable products for the United States and Canada under the Eat Smart® and GreenLine® brands.
CINCINNATI, OH - As Kroger continues to up the ante on its range of coveted shopping experiences, the grocer has decided to unveil the long-awaited expansion of its 'click and collect' online shopping option at its Liberty Township store to the general public.
The expansion of this service will allow shoppers to buy groceries, including produce, digitally and then grab their bags via pickup window without ever entering the store, according to Cincinnati.com. Kroger has been testing the service on a limited basis since last year with plans to introduce it to the public on Thursday.
During its $2.5 billion takeover of North Carolina-based Harris Teeter in 2014, Kroger acquired the technology which has the e-commerce option available at 150 of its 200 stores in the Southeast, U.S.
Kroger is widely known for its tact in implementing new programs, carefully testing new concepts in limited markets before launching a full scale roll out. Up until this point and for the past decade, the company’s King Soopers division in Denver has been the only real testing grounds for a delivery service, the publication notes.
Kroger employees were able to use the service locally in September during initial testing, and in December, the program was then expanded to select loyal customers.
SANTA PAULA, CA - Limoneira has topped Wall Street expectations with its latest Q2 2015 financial results. The company posted second-quarter revenue of $28.3 million (compared to $24.8 million in Q2 2014) in the second quarter, beating the average estimates of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research by $2.6 million.
During the second quarter, Limoneira’s agribusiness revenue was $26.9 million, compared to $23.6 million in the second quarter last year, reflecting higher lemon, avocado, and specialty citrus and other crop revenue partially offset by lower orange revenue.
“We are pleased to report solid top line revenue growth of 14% in the second quarter, which reflects increased sales for lemons, avocados, and specialty crops,” said Harold Edwards, President and CEO. “We also successfully leveraged our operating costs across higher sales volume, enabling us to increase our operating income by 28% and EBITDA by 24% in the second quarter.”
According to the report, costs and expenses for Q2 2015 were $24.1 million, compared to $21.6 million in the same quarter last year. The year-over-year increase in operating expenses primarily reflects additional agribusiness costs mainly associated with higher harvest costs due to increased volume of avocados, oranges, and specialty citrus harvested, as well as higher packing and growing costs.
Over the quarter, Limoneira increased its total lemon tree acreage by expanding its agricultural lease agreement with Cadiz. Edwards also stated in the report that the company is on-track to complete the expansion of its Santa Paula packing house this year, which is expected to increase efficiency, enhance operating margins, and double its total annual capacity.
“We currently have approximately 1,000 acres of non-bearing lemon orchards in development that are expected to become productive over the next few years, which will utilize some of the new capacity,” continued Edwards.
Other highlights from the company’s financial report include:
- $2.6 million of orange revenue in the second quarter of fiscal 2015 compared to $3.4 million in the same period of last year
- Specialty citrus and other crop revenues were $1.4 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2015, on increased sales volume partially offset by lower prices, compared to $0.9 million in Q2 2014
- Lemon sales were comprised of approximately 76% to U.S. and Canada-based customers, 20% to domestic exporters, and 4% to international customers
As of 2:00 PM EDT, Limoneira's stock was down $0.32 to $21.97, a decrease of 1.44%.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest financial updates in the industry.