JAPAN - While I’m over here fancying Apple Watches and summer travels, a gentleman in Japan sees dropping thousands of dollars on a pair of premium melons as a satisfactory purchase.
According to a Business Insider report, a fruit wholesaler local to Tokyo, Japan, won a bidding war for a pair of Yubari melons, the first of the year for the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market in northern Hokkaido. The victory cost him 1.5 million yen (about $12,400).
According to the report, however, he got them at a steal. Last year, the same offer of melons, which are considered a status symbol in the area, fetched 2.5 million yen (about $20,500).
The country has a very specific set of qualifications for the Yubari variety. According to the report, the ideal Yubari melons are perfectly spherical displaying an evenly patterned rind, with a T-shaped stalk still attached and presented for sale an ornate, luxuriously-decorated box.
This isn’t the only fruit to fetch much more than a pretty penny.
As we’ve previously reported, regular fruit prices for the country are closer to what Americans would spend on fine wines or champagnes, with the gavel often falling on jaw-dropping offers for fresh foods that are relatively exotic for the area, like melons, mangos, or certain berries.
SACRAMENTO, CA - I’ll admit it. I don’t usually shop at Smart & Final, but that might have to change after my last visit. Inside my local Smart & Final Extra! store in the competitive Sacramento market were merchandising displays featuring high-quality fresh produce, a consumer-friendly atmosphere, and local growers represented front and center everywhere you looked.
As a local shopper, what’s enjoyable to me about Smart & Final’s “Extra!” format is that it emphasizes fresh produce and makes a concerted effort to ensure that not only the produce on the aisles or in bins look appetizing and naturally fresh, but the entire produce department as well. It’s hard to ignore the work that must have gone into making this part of the store as big and bold as possible.
While you’d normally find products like apples, tomatoes, avocados, or citrus items sitting in floor displays or crates, Smart & Final Extra! shows them pouring out of wooden baskets. The store’s “rustic” aesthetic and substantial fresh produce selection goes a long way in presenting a natural and clean store design. The club store appeal and discount prices encourages you to look as much as to buy.
Interestingly, Smart & Final’s Extra! format doesn’t require its shoppers to buy in bulk. While larger portions are still available, like a club size 6 romaine heart pack from Tanimura & Antle, I saw lettuce, cucumbers, green onions, and almost everything else you could find on the wet rack selling by the each, as well as bundles of produce priced individually. For example, I came across a 4-pack bundle of Nature's Partner avocados with a tag that read "$3.99 each."
There’s also a distinct emphasis on California-grown. Signs in front of bins or above the merchandise displays proudly declare where the produce is grown and the faces behind the company. Some notable names included Roy Nishimori from San Miguel Produce and Casey Houweling from Houweling’s.
Locally grown is such an important aspect of buying produce to an increasing number of shoppers, so it’s great to see that Smart & Final Extra! is taking a refreshing step in the right direction.
The retailer’s strong confidence in this format is also leading to further expansion. In Smart & Final’s Q4 2014 report, Dave Hirz, President and CEO of Smart & Final, said that the format continues to be “the key to our new store growth” and that the company has “completed twice as many new store openings and conversions to Extra! in 2014 as compared to the prior year. Smart & Final expects to open a total of 20 new Smart & Final Extra! stores and complete nine conversions of legacy stores to the Extra! format, including three store relocations.
While further specifics on where the stores will be appearing haven’t been announced, seeing a retailer bring an authentic market feel to a large store format was encouraging. It will be interesting to see if this locally grown feel gains traction, because it definitely made me feel at home.
NORFOLK, VA - Lettuce may be lovely, but I never thought to wear it.
PETA set out to raise temperatures towards veggies by making lettuce look better than ever in a place where the only way fashion goes is forward - Hollywood.
The activist group's Lettuce Ladies set up in Tinseltown at noon last Thursday, May 22, to entice passersby to sample some veggie-centric foods they may not have considered before.
According to an NBC Los Angeles report, the ladies will be baring their bodies and their cause with signs featuring produce promotions like “let vegetarianism grow on you” and “turn over a new leaf, go vegetarian.”
This isn’t the first time PETA has used this approach to push produce. According to the association’s blog, the Lettuce Ladies have been to countries like Australia, the Philippines, and Kenya, as well as having made a stand in full lettuce garb on Capitol Hill and the NFL Draft while serving vegetarian spins on hot dogs and wings. To see the ladies on Capitol Hill, check out the Glittarazzi video below.
While the Lettuce Ladies usually are volunteers for PETA’s cause, well-known names and spokespeople for the association like actresses Pamela Anderson and Elizabeth Berkley have also sported lettuce bikinis and gowns for the campaign.
This time the group’s post was at the corner of the famed Sunset Boulevard and Ivar Avenue, according to the report, handing out free boxes of vegan burgers and hotdogs to just in time for Memorial Day weekend barbecues.
MONTREAL, QC - Village Farms Corporate Chef Darren Brown took the time to tell us about the company’s new exclusive varietals; the Cabernet Estate Reserve™, the Mini San Marzano™, and Cherry No. 9™.
“The Cabernet Estate Reserve™ is one of my personal favorites today,” Darren tells me, talking about its complexity and how fun it is for him to play with.
He also discussed the flavor that sets each variety apart from the others individually, from the versatility of the Mini San Marzano™ to how the company hopes the Cherry No. 9™ will help you “fall back in love” with tomatoes again.
For all that Darren had to say about these exciting new varieties, as well as how he used them to showcase their flavor to consumers, watch the short video above.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Welcome to What’s In Store. When it comes to having fun with your food, there is no better place to play than with Sesame Street and the eat brighter!™ initiative, just ask the team at Procacci Brothers.
The company recently unveiled new Sesame Street-themed packaging for their popular Fresh Fruit Trio, a signature item on their Garden Sweet line of assorted premium fruit and vegetable items. Available in 4 and 5 lb. bags, the 'eat brighter!' branding will feature Big Bird along with Navel Oranges, Granny Smith Apples, as well as either Gala or Red Delicious Apples. This new addition has been launched on the heels of the company’s Santa Sweets Authentic Grape Tomatoes featuring the lovable character, Elmo.
Parents and kids love the opportunity to snack on these traditional, healthy and popular items, especially when paired with a vibrant and well-known cast of characters like Big Bird and Elmo. This new packaging encourages youngsters to eat brighter! and consume more fruits and vegetables while increasing traffic through the produce department and driving sales at the register. Procacci is committed to maximizing the program’s worth for them and their retail partners with collaborative efforts to attract consumers to their 'eat brighter!' products on store shelves.
Moving forward, Procacci is striving to build a more comprehensive line of produce with the Sesame Street-themed packaging and 'eat brighter!' initiative. The Fresh Fruit Trio packages featuring Big Bird will be available for shipping in early May. It’s a fruitful future for Procacci and the much loved characters from Sesame street family and the 'eat brighter!' initiative.
HERMOSILLO, SONORA, MEXICO - With a mission of producing high-quality vegetables while also satisfying the needs of their customers, three brothers at Agricola Bay are working to enhance not only their standards of excellence but the range of products in their portfolio as well.
Situated in the fertile soils of Hermosillo and Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, the three brothers Fausto, Bernardo and Lorenzo Bay run their family-owned operation producing seedless watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melons, kabocha squash, zucchini squash, yellow straight neck squash, and grey squash. Agricola Bay is a grower-member for Nogales, Arizona-based SunFed.
I visited Lorenzo at his operations in Guaymas earlier this year, to learn about the family’s growing company, plans for the future and vision for the Agricola Bay.
As demand for organic and low residue produce continues to grow, the company is building on its produce program with test fields for organic honeydew and watermelon along with more acreage for organic squash. On top of that initiative, the Bays are also looking to expand their overall program from 250 acres to 750 over the next three years.
Growth for Bernardo, Lorenzo, and Fausto has been driven by the growing demand for labels such as SunFed’s Perfect Produce brands as well as their own Agricola Bay label.
In addition to growing the company, Agricola Bay has also been committed to providing socially responsible employment, promoting the development of its staff, while also meeting its fiscal obligations and contributing to the growing Mexican produce industry.
“Companies are forced to be competitive in order to retain their skilled labor force. For us, that means taking care of our workers through constant enhancements in our housing programs to offering competitive wages and benefits,” Lorenzo tells me.
“You can’t just be a good grower, you must be a great administrator as well,” he says. “Here, our workers don’t pay for anything so that everything can go back home to their families if that is what they want.”
In addition to their own personal values and standards that steer Agricola Bay, the growers are also nationally and internationally certified for food safety and social measures from organizations such as Primus G.F.S, Global G.A.P., USDA Organic, and C–TPAT to Global Security Verification (GSV) and HACCP verification.
Most recently, Agricola Bays became Fair Trade Certified on its entire produce program.
Congratulations, Lorenzo, Bernardo, and Fausto, on the work achieved the growth ahead.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Meijer appears to be on the move, having just celebrated the opening of two stores in the Northern Illinois area last week and then announcing that it is moving into Wisconsin with two more this summer.
The two 190,000 square foot stores opened in Rockford and Machesney Park, Illinois, adding to the existing 25 stores the company already has in the state, and are among the 11 stores the company has in the works for the midwest area, according to a press release. These particular two will be open 24 hours to offer fresh produce to the locals.
“As a pioneer of one-stop shopping, we’ve always strived to offer easy, affordable solutions to our neighbors, and we look forward to serving new customers in the Rockford area,” Hank Meijer, Co-Chairman, said the release. “These supercenters represent our ongoing commitment to help provide a healthier, balanced lifestyle for anyone who steps through our door.”
The new supercenter offerings include more than 600 varieties of farm-fresh produce, as well as a custom bakery and meat department. And the retailer appears to be far from done.
Meijer will reportedly open its Grafton and Kenosha, Wisconsin, stores on Tues., June 23rd, according to the Co-Chair.
"We're extremely eager to finally open our doors to Wisconsin," Hank Meijer said. "We've been telling southeastern Wisconsin residents for months that they will love our fresh grocery options, wide selection of general merchandise and overall value. Now we're excited to prove it as we open our first two stores in Grafton and Kenosha, with more to come later this summer."
Beginning June 25th, the company will reportedly begin promotions and events as part of its grand opening celebration, the first of four supercenters total that the company has slated to open this year in southeastern Wisconsin, with locations in Oak Creek and Wauwatosa on track to open in August.
The retailer now has 217 stores throughout the Midwest region, stating that it has grown steadily by focusing on fresh grocery options, value to customers, and community partnership. AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you up to date on this company’s growth as it follows its current plans to expand.
CHICAGO, IL - Avocados from Mexico (AFM) is gearing up for a jam-packed showing at the upcoming United Fresh expo with programming to drive consumer demand.
Attendees can learn about the vertically integrated marketing program, which includes social media partnerships, coupons, demos, permanent displays, as well as “Seasonal Programs” to help drive interest 365 days of the year.
Also, attendees are encouraged to not miss out on the live demonstration of iBeacon retail technology. This innovative device enables shoppers to receive targeted offers as they shop. There will also be a demonstration kitchen serving avocado samples based on four core uses: guacamole, sandwiches, salads, and snacking.
Maggie Bezart Hall, VP of Retail and Promotion, said that the United Fresh show “gives our team a unique opportunity to meet with attendees to discuss programming that will meet their department needs for increasing avocado sales and consumption throughout the year.”
Retailers can also learn more about AFM’s collaboration with the Partnership for a Healthier America’s new FNV brand that promotes fruit and vegetable consumption to teens and moms using the same compelling and catchy marketing that major consumer brands do, according to a press release.
“AFM is proud to be a founding supporter of FNV, and we’re pleased to highlight the program along with our other marketing initiatives at United,” said Alvaro Luque, President of AFM. “Mexico is the leading supplier of avocados in the U.S., representing over 70 percent of all avocado volume, and we are proud to drive awareness of this versatile and nutrient-dense fruit.”
AFM has had quite a busy year so far, and still has big plans to drive demand with major advertising, PR, promotions, and digital campaigns. Stop by booth #1614 during United Fresh 2015 to learn more about these latest initiatives.
EAGLE, ID - The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) is offering a tool to aid foodservice operators with presenting “perfect” fresh-cut french fries.
According to the company, it is now providing a tool to aid foodservice production with its new How to Fry Perfect Fresh-Cut French Fries Using Idaho® Potatoes wall chart.
“The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) knows busy operators need resources to make the job easier,” the company stated in a press release. “With the new How to Fry Perfect Fresh-Cut French Fries Using Idaho® Potatoes wall chart, the IPC has created a handy tool guaranteed to take the pressure off all operators who menu fresh-cut fries.”
The wall chart includes several tips and pointers for the ideal way to prepare Idaho® fresh-cut fries, including:
- Gauging preferred fry color.
- To proper fry prep.
- Recommended frying techniques.
As the company’s main aim for this latest tool is convenience, the wall chart comes laminated with a “peel and stick” ready to go on the wall when ordered through the company, which can be done by contacting Jarrell Vail at [email protected]. You can also download the chart directly from the Idaho Potato Commission website.
The How to Fry Perfect Fresh-Cut French Fries Using Idaho® Potatoes wall chart is available in quantities of up to 25 charts per order.
Other menu concepts for all kinds of Idaho® potato varieties can be found on the company’s website in its IPC recipe database, as well as a size guide and Idaho® potato preparation tips.
JUPITER, FL - Locus Traxx Worldwide and Mayer Security and Traceability are partnering together to provide advanced technology, including the Locus Traxx GO platform, for the 7P Security Program.
7P Security, created by Mayer Security, helps companies meet the requirements for C-TPAT (Customs – Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) with best practices that expedite processing in customs, according to a press release. Companies that utilize the 7P Security program, such as Del Campo, Cargill, Giumarra Companies, Casa Ley, and more, can thus “fast track” through check points.
David Benjamin, CEO of Locus Traxx Worldwide, offered his compliments to Luis Mayer, President of Mayer Security and Traceability, and Mayer’s team, for utilizing the Locus Traxx GO platform in this manner.
“The time is right for advanced IoT (Internet of Things) products, like the Locus Traxx GO platform, to have a major impact on the agricultural and transportation industries and it’s all about Locus Traxx developing Big Data on the supply chain,” said Benjamin. “I’m proud to say we helped in some small way to usher in the future for supply chain interactions.”
The new Locus Traxx GO products provide real-time temperature and location data to its users.
“Integrating with the Locus Traxx GO platform was critical to providing real-time information to our clients,” said Mayer. “Now, leading companies have a clear path to take advantage of expedited border crossing and maintain control over their products.”
The Mexican Military is currently completing a new “Fast Track Lane” from Querobabi, just outside of Hermosillo, to Nogales, Arizona, due to the success of programs such as 7P Security.