JACKSONVILLE, FL - The parent company for the Bi-Lo, Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., and Harveys Supermarkets has changed up its own title.
Formerly Bi-Lo Holdings LLC, the company is now going by Southeastern Grocers to avoid any confusion between names, according to a Jacksonville Business Journal Report, as well as with the intention of encompassing all supermarkets and not show any favoritism between banners.
“This change symbolizes that, regardless of whether they work for BI-LO, Harveys, or Winn-Dixie, they are all part of a unified family with a common aim to do the best they can for all of our customers across the Southeast,” Tiffany Valla Hutto, Spokeswoman for the Southeastern Grocers, reportedly told the Business Journal.
Though the company reportedly operates nearly 800 stores, making it one of the top five largest in the nation, according to its website, it stated that the change will not affect the name of the banners it parents.
Southeastern Grocers had planned to undergo the change when it filed for an IPO upwards of $500 million in September of 2013, according to the report, but ended up withdrawing.
KINGSVILLE, ON - These tiny, crunchy cucumbers are headed overseas and straight to China, says Mucci Farms. The company is continuing its shipments of CuteCumbers snack-sized cucumbers into the Chinese Market.
CuteCumbers have been well-received in the country, Mucci says, and shipments have continued regularly since their first arrival into China on April 16 of this year. Marketing and advertising promotions have been distributed in China and the awareness and interest has only increased.
Mucci Farms' Cutecumbers were one of the first cocktail-sized cucumber to hit the market in North America, and are bite-sized and perfect for snacking on the go. These bite-sized cucumbers are known for their crisp flavor and crunchy texture, all while fitting perfectly in your hand for snacking on the go. CuteCumbers are a good source for B vitamins, are made up of 95% water, and are a good source of dietary fiber, which is very effective in helping the body rid itself of toxins, according to a press release.
The graphics on the Chinese version of the packaging are kid-friendly, and target adults and kids alike. A clean layout on the package makes the product information easy-to-read, and stand out on store shelves. CuteCumbers™ are packaged using ultra-clear stand-up, re-sealable bags, with a reinforced handle and stand-up gusset. The packaging also includes a Matte Varnish Finishing, one of the first of its kind on cucumber packaging, creating a unique look and adding depth to the design. The QR code on the back provides fast access to recipes and nutritional information.
Mucci Farms has also recently announced it is now certified Kosher for its entire line of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant and strawberries by Kosher Check, a widely recognized and accepted Orthodox Kosher certification agency.
Kosher Check is a certificate with a symbol that represents a “Global Trade Mark of Trust,” for both religious beliefs and assurance to consumers on Superior Quality, Food Safety and Good Health, the company says. This reinforces the belief among consumers that Kosher products are also safer to consume.
PULLACH, GERMANY - IFCO Systems has completed the acquisition of Renta Pack S.A., one of Chile’s leading providers of RPC pooling services.
Rentapack, a privately owned company, was founded in 2003 and serves major retailers including Wal-Mart, Cencosud, Unimarc, Montserrat, and Tottus, as well as approximately 800 fresh produce growers, according to a press release. The company is comprised of approximately 230 employees and currently has four service centers in Chile.
IFCO Systems CEO Wolfgang Orgeldinger expressed his pleasure with the completion of the acquisition, noting that the deal supplements the company’s growth in new sectors.
“This acquisition is consistent with our strategy of complementing our organic growth in attractive segments and geographies by acquiring companies that have a leading market position, strong financial returns, and promising growth outlook,” said Orgeldinger. “Rentapack has all of these characteristics.”
During 2014, Rentapack generated sales revenue of US$19 million and about 40 million RPC rentals. The company is projecting strong growth over the coming years as it increases penetration with major retail partners and launches RPC products in sectors such as bakery.
“We are excited about building Rentapack’s strong position in the Chilean fresh food supply chain to deliver value for retailers, growers, and producers,” Orgeldinger continued. “The acquisition will drive step change for IFCO’s RPCs footprint in Latin America.”
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
NOGALES, AZ - Del Campo has announced the launch of its newly redesigned website. This new design brings to life all the facets of the company, the products, and new initiatives.
“Our goal is to use our website as another communication tool to our customers and consumers. We are very proud of the work we have done on this project. Del Campo has many new exciting projects in the pipeline so we will use our website as a promotional vehicle,” says Diego Ley, General Manager of Del Campo Supreme.
The new website features a bright and vibrant look, with a user-friendly and easy to navigate interface. The product pages are visually stimulating and highlight features, benefits, and specifications for each item, including the newest product additions: t’mates and Sweet Baby Bell Peppers.
www.delcampo.com.mx has links to the company’s Facebook page, information on its new recycling program, and recipes for every Del Campo product. You can also check out Del Campo Cares, the company’s initiative to help community and social responsibility programs.
Other highlights from the new website include:
- A Harvestmark link for consumers to see when their product was harvested
- A partner login portal that is easy to login and navigate
- A fully integrated services page detailing everything from cold storage to traceability
According to a press release, the website will continually be updated with new content, recipes and new product launches, so keep checking in for all your Del Campo needs.
BENTONVILLE, AK - Overall, Wal-Mart reported a quarter that President and CEO Doug McMillon felt remained strong, having generated nearly $115 billion in revenue and delivered earnings per share within the retailer’s reported guidance range at $1.03, despite this being about 0.1 percent lower than the same time last year.
"We had a solid first quarter,” McMillon said in a press release. “We took some important strategic steps to strengthen the foundation of our business for the future. We need to continue to get better at consistently running great stores, clubs and e-commerce everywhere we operate...and we are."
While overall numbers are being reported to have fallen short of expectations, the company’s fresh foods sector reported a positive over the quarter.
“We were pleased by the operational improvement we saw in fresh,” Greg Foran, President and CEO of Wal-Mart U.S., said during this morning’s Management Earnings call. “As we mentioned in April, this is a key area of focus, and getting fresh right is critical to the customer experience.”
According to Foran, overall net food inflation negatively impacted comps by approximately 20 basis points, but the company estimates that moderation in fresh foods (partially offset by inflationary trends in dry and frozen foods) impacted Wal-Mart’s overall comp performance by almost 70 basis points this quarter, a healthy boost in the company's fresh category.
The overall financial summary included:
- Q1 diluted EPS from continuing operations was $1.03, within guidance of $0.95 to $1.10.
- Currency negatively impacted EPS by approximately $0.03.
- Wal-Mart U.S. 1.1% comp includes positive traffic for the second consecutive quarter.
- Customer experience scores improved in all formats. Customers benefited from lower gas prices.
- E-commerce sales globally increased approximately 17%.
- Consolidated operating income declined 8.3%, due to impacts from currency fluctuation.
"Based on our views of the global macro-economic environment, and assuming currency exchange rates remain at current levels, we expect second quarter fiscal 2016 earnings per share to range between $1.06 and $1.18,” Charles Holley, Executive Vice President and CFO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc, said in the report.
Holley also noted that the company’s second quarter guidance includes the impact of approximately $0.04 per share from the company’s previously announced investments in both U.S. associate wages and training, as well as $0.04 per share from currency.
FUKUOKA, JAPAN - After 32 years, the U.K. has been unseated as having grown the world’s heaviest strawberry.
According to the Telegraph, Koji Nakao from Fukuoka, Japan, reached out to the Guinness Book of World Records after happening upon a massive strawberry while harvesting.
The Japanese farmer’s lucky find is a strawberry roughly the size of an apple:
- Weighing 250 grams
- 8 cm tall (about 3 inches)
- 12 cm long (almost 5 inches)
- 25 to 30 cm in circumference (9 to 11 inches)
This record-setter is reportedly a tasty mutant, having fused together from surrounding berries of the Japanese Amaou strawberry variety. Its predecessor, according to the Telegraph, was grown in Kent in the U.K. in 1983 by G. Anderson.
And what became of this sweet berry giant? It was enjoyed by Nakao’s daughter who told reporters that it was “delicious," as seen in the video above.
WOODRIDGE, IL - Welcome to What's In Store. Produce Pro Software is marking a landmark anniversary this year, making it 25 years as an integral part of the produce industry. Produce Pro Software now leads the industry as an all-in-one solution for software, operational consulting, and providing access to perishable industry experts. Produce Pro is continuing its expansion into a complete software solution that gives its customers a competitive advantage.
Since the company’s first customer, Caruso Inc., Produce Pro employees have been doing their best to make produce companies succeed with the best software solutions possible. The company’s client-base has now surpassed over 160 companies with over 5,000 users, and each one can rest assured that Produce Pro Software can handle anything thrown its way.
Over the last 25 years, Produce Pro has developed its own Warehouse Management software for scanning inventory through the warehouse, e-commerce/online ordering platform, and document imaging to scan, store, and send paper documents. In the past 5 years, Produce Pro Software released multiple mobile app solutions for customer ordering, delivery optimization with GPS and electronic signature capture, and a Food Safety app to replace the Food Safety binders. Produce Pro’s latest App the Quality Control App allows users to perform product inspections, capture product images and produce inspection reports. Thank you for watching What's In Store.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Michael Teel, Raley’s CEO and President, as well as grandson of its founder, Tom Raley, is now the majority owner of the company.
Teel is being transferred ownership from his mother, Joyce Raley Teel, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.
“My grandfather saw the potential in this area 80 years ago,” Teel said in a statement, according to the report. “I want to continue that legacy, and continue to invest in the Sacramento region. It’s poised for growth and so are we. This is our home, and we’re here to stay.”
Teel was President and CEO of the company for an almost 14 year period ending in August of 2002, before returning to the post in 2010, where he has remained for the past five years.
While much of the financial details are being kept private, the company did report that it is still 100 percent family-owned, according to the report. With the transfer of Joyce Raley Teel’s ownership, her son will officially own 92 percent of the company, while the remaining eight percent will be shared equally between her 4 daughters.
Raley’s owns and operates 127 stores under four brands, according to the Sacramento Business Journal:
- Raley's
- Bel Air Markets
- Nob Hill Foods
- Food Source
Spokeswoman Chelsea Minor assured reports that both Joyce Raley and her husband Jim Teel are in good health, and that the change of ownership was a family decision. How this will affect the operations, however, was not addressed, so stay tuned.
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - If you didn’t get your fill of Southern flavor at this year’s Southern Exposure, you’re in luck. Southern Innovations Symposium, the newly named Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) Fall Conference, will be this September 17–19, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina, focusing on the organization’s key pillars of networking, education, and community outreach.
New to the conference this year is the Southern Innovations Bright Ideas Platform, essentially a mini version of a tradeshow, showcasing the best new and innovative ideas in produce. The Bright Ideas Platform will be held as part of the Southern Innovations Symposium on September 18 from 12:30pm to 3:00pm, and will give all attendees an opportunity to showcase and see new products and services that the industry has to offer.
“Charleston will offer our guests the best in southern hospitality, while providing some of the best networking and education in the industry. The new Bright Ideas Platform is shaping up to showcase the best and innovative ideas produce has to offer, and we’re looking forward to providing our members with a fresh intimate networking platform from which to build their relationships and businesses,” said David Sherrod, SEPC Executive Director.
The conference will host industry suppliers, retailers and foodservice attendees alike, and promises a new spin on industry exhibitions. According to a press release, the symposium will deliver events such as a general session, educational workshops, golf, inshore fishing, a Charleston plantation tour, team building for the ladies of Southern Roots, and the annual tailgate party. The weekend will also host special celebrity guests and a special donation to a local charity.
All SEPC member companies are invited to apply to exhibit at the Bright Ideas Platform, but with only 50 spots available space will be on a first come, first served basis. Applications will be reviewed by the SEPC Education Committee and will need to fulfill the following requirements:
- The qualifying product or service must be scheduled to release to market between March 23, 2015 - December 14, 2015.
- The qualifying product or service must be new to the Southeast market area.
To register for the Southern Innovations Symposium or apply to exhibit at the Bright Ideas Platform, visit seproducecouncil.com.
NEWARK, DE - At this year’s PMA Foundation Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference, attendees in the executive track of the event were tasked with discussing several types of mentoring initiatives for a new program being designed to support leadership among members of the fresh produce industry.
As they continue to build the foundation of this program, Alicia Calhoun took the time to share with me a few insights into the initiative as the program begins to take hold.
“Mentors are known to be role models, advisors, problem solvers, and supporters. The PMA Foundation mentoring initiative will ignite a movement of new leaders and will provide an opportunity to create and foster meaningful relationships that will meet the needs of our industry members. The PMA Foundation will support our industry members by providing connections that will help them deepen and broaden their network, build their competencies, build confidence, and gain leadership skills,” Alicia tells me.
At this year’s event, the attendees in the executive track discussed a range of different mentoring options from Face-to-face, Group, and Virtual, to Blended and Reverse. They decided on three that resonated the most. From there, a polling software was used to poll all attendees on the mentoring approach they would like to see implemented.
In the end, a blended approach pulled ahead as the front-runner. This approach may include both face-to-face and virtual mentoring which allows the opportunity for both customization and flexibility.
“This will allow those who participate in the initiative to customize their mentoring experience to meet both their personal and professional needs. The full scope of the program will be developed in the coming months,” Alicia notes.
Alicia, along with the PMA Foundation staff, will be driving this initiative. An advisory group of industry members, who are a subset of the women who participated in the executive track at the conference, will also be assisting in the program development.
Additional details, including the qualifications for participation, will be determined as they flesh out the full scope of the initiative.
Stay tuned for more updates on the new PMA Foundation Mentoring Program!