LOS ALAMITOS, CA – Frieda’s Specialty Produce is offering its exclusive specialty red and purple artichokes like the Sangria and Fiore Viola Artichokes.
Sangria Artichokes have a flower-like shape with a deep burgundy color, and Fiore Viola Artichokes are attractive purple gloves. In a press release, the company notes that they are great for adding color to an all-green artichoke display.
These specialty artichokes are bred and grown in Lompoc, California. Aside from their striking appearance, they also have unique flavor profiles.
Frieda’s says that the Sangria variety has meaty leaves with a nutty, earthy flavor, and the Fiore Viola, which is heavy for its size, is packed with meaty leaves and a nutty, sweet artichoke flavor. Both provide folate and fiber as well as being good sources of vitamin C.
Additionally, the Fiesole Baby Purple Artichoke is expected to be available later in March. These deep-purple buds have no chokes and are nutty and sweet with a strong artichoke flavor.
They are also available in convenient 1-pound bags.
UNITED STATES - The future of the Internet has been decided.
On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved new rules to regulate the Internet as a public utility in a 3-2 vote. The new rules will ensure that websites, videos, and other content load at approximately the same speed for everyone, thus preventing broadband providers and media companies from throttling your connection to specific services. Sources say that these rules will take effect anywhere between 30 - 60 days after they have been printed in the Federal Register.
The following is a breakdown of the new rules, as declared by the FCC:
- No Blocking: Broadband providers may not block access to legal content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices.
- No Throttling: Broadband providers may not impair or degrade lawful Internet traffic on the basis of content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices.
- No Paid Prioritization: Broadband providers may not favor some lawful Internet traffic over other lawful traffic in exchange for consideration of any kind – in other words, no “fast lanes.” This rule also bans ISPs from prioritizing content and services of their affiliates.
“This is a victory for free speech, plain and simple,” said Gabe Rottman, Legislative Counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union. “Americans use the internet not just to work and play, but to discuss politics and learn about the world around them… We are still sifting through the full details of the new rules, but the main point is that the internet, the primary place where Americans exercise their right to free expression, remains open to all voices and points of view.”
So what will these new rules mean for you? Not much in the short-term. Because this decision maintains the status quo, the way you browse the internet isn’t going to change significantly. However, opponents of the rule claim that the decision opens up the possibility for “government control,” according to FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai, who voted against net neutrality.
“The plan is not a solution to a problem,” said Pai.
Similarly, FCC Commissioner Michael O’Reilly called the decision a “monumental and unlawful power grab,” saying, “I see no need for net neutrality rules. I am far more troubled the commission is chartering for Title II,” according to TechCrunch.
While the FCC’s decision has already been made, the debate over net neutrality will likely continue in court.
For any further updates regarding net neutrality, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
VENTURA, CA - LINKFRESH conveyed its excitement as it continues to grow in the produce industry, releasing its latest software containing all-new farming enhancements and improvements.
“This new release continues to reinforce both our commitment to the fresh food industry and our strategy of being the leading company offering full ERP supply chain solutions to the dynamic and fast-moving fresh food sector,” Robert Frost, Group CEO of LINKFRESH, said in a press release.
The company’s new release emphasizes a focus on improving productivity for food supply chain users. Among the thirteen new enhancements and features are production touch-screen services, improvements to warehouse mobility, and new functionality for the LINKFRESH Farming module.
Built on Microsoft Dynamics NAV ERP technology, LINKFRESH software is officially certified for Microsoft Dynamics, helps farm companies with supply chain forecasting and planning, can link employee and fixed asset information to a resource used by Farming Jobs, and enables users to measure harvest shrinkage by recording changes in the volume or weight of any crop that has been harvested.
As one of only 25 Microsoft Global Independent Software Vendor (GISV) Partners, LINKFRESH prides itself on its focus towards using technology to improve the fresh produce industry.
WASHINGTON - The USDA has restricted the operations of Pros Ranch Markets CA LLC, an Arizona-based organization for PACA violations.
Pros Ranch Markets CA LLC was cited for having allegedly failed to make payment to 17 produce sellers in the amount of $1,252,222 from December of 2012 through June of 2013, according to a USDA press release.
Consequently, the company can no longer operate in the produce industry until February 26, 2017, at which time it may reapply for a PACA license. Pros Ranch Markets CA LLC will have an opportunity to request a hearing but, should the USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry for two years. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for one year and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
In the past three years, the USDA resolved approximately 4,250 PACA claims involving more than $77 million. Individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without the approval of the USDA. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), PACA Division, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses operating subject to PACA.
BRAMPTON, ON - Loblaw revealed Thursday that its Q4 2014 profit more than doubled and revenue saw a nearly 50% increase. This profit outpaced analyst expectations, as it continued to benefit from its Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. acquisition.
Loblaw said Q4 earnings jumped to C$247 million (approximately $197 million U.S.), or 59 Canadian cents a share, from C$114 million (approximately $91 million U.S.), or 40 Canadian cents a year earlier, according to The Wall Street Journal.
"While the competitive intensity in grocery remains high, and the regulatory environment in health care remains challenging, we believe we are well-positioned to achieve stable earnings growth," said Galen G. Weston, President and Executive Chairman of Loblaw
Following the release of its Q4 earnings, Loblaw has also announced it is considering taking over Target locations in Canada. As we’ve previously reported, Target has recently announced its decision to close all 133 of its Canadian locations. Loblaw says the number of acquired Target locations will not be “significant or material” to its overall growth strategy, according to The Globe and Mail.
"The (Target) network of stores has been out and on the market for many, many years in one way, shape or form," Weston told analysts in a call Thursday. "Their network is not particularly complementary to the Loblaw network, (but) we have a team looking at the assets. We have identified the number of stores that could be complementary."
According to The Globe and Mail, Weston said this announcement is due in part to the company expecting that business will be hurt by the liquidation sales currently going on at Target.
Other highlights from Loblaw’s financial report, according to Nasdaq, include:
- Adjusted net earnings for the quarter was C$396 million (approximately $317 million U.S.) or C$0.96 per basic share.
- Revenues for Q4 surged 49.4% to C$12.41 billion (approximately $9.9 billion U.S.) .
- Revenue excluding Shoppers Drug Mart grew 9.4 percent to C$8.36 billion from last year (approximately $6.6 billion U.S.).
- Looking ahead to fiscal 2015, the company expects to grow consolidated adjusted net earnings.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to bring you the latest financial news and analysis from the fresh produce industry.
ANTIGO, WI - Volm Companies, Inc. recently released a new packaging line for produce in an effort to provide versatility and clarity to consumer eyes, while also providing convenience and a prolonged shelf-life.
The company’s new Half-N-Half stand-up pouch incorporates an eco-friendly Ultratech® mesh panel, while also leaving room for a variety of presentable and functional features, including zippers and differing formats.
"We expanded our packaging portfolio last year to focus on pouches for fresh produce,” Micah Johnson, Flexible Packaging Product Manager, said in a press release. “At that time, we also began developing the Half-N-Half Pouch as a way to not only differentiate from other produce on the shelves with this one-of-a-kind look, but to add breathability for keeping the produce fresh longer.”
With different film finishes such as high clarity, opaque, and matte, another focus from Volm was presentability to appeal to consumer eyes as well as sustainability for retailers.
“This pouch looks great on the shelf, extends shelf life of produce, and provides an optimized customer experience when purchasing and using the product,” Johnson continued.
The company also recently introduced its new Volmpack Kangaroo Bagger, a technological assistant that consciously keeps a small footprint while providing the opportunity for retailers to move away from labor-intensive manual bagging and packing. Specifically tailored towards pouch-style bags, Volm sees this as an automated yet affordable option.
“We have a long history of developing packaging solutions to improve the profitability and productivity of our customers,” Johnson said in the release. “To be able to offer the Kangaroo Bagger as a way to complement the Half-N-Half Pouch and our common pouch style bags is important as part of our Total Solutions approach.”
The new Half-N-Half Pouch packaging and Kangaroo Bagger are already available to stores.
IRVINE, CA – The California avocado season has kicked off with a strong start. With good demand and harvesting having started in January, the California Avocado Commission (CAC) confirms that crops are continuing to climb to promotable volumes with projections into mid or late March.
AndNowUKnow spoke with Jan DeLyser, Vice President of Marketing for the California Avocado Commission, about the season and all things California avocado.
“Some avocado trees in California have been stumped over the past two years to conserve on water as a result of the drought,” Jan said in response to some of the challenges posed by the California weather.
She added, “This has been accounted for in CAC's crop volume forecast of 327 million pounds, which is an increase of about 10% over last year.”
The Commission confirmed that avocados have excellent quality and continue to note the label initiative to clarify the origin of all California fruit. As we previously reported, the CAC provided information showing that consumers confirmed they would switch labels for produce grown locally at a Fresh Produce and Floral Council membership luncheon.
The initiative supports this trend of purchasing produce locally grown, providing a call to action for shoppers to insist on the availability of California-grown avocados when in season.
NEW YORK, NY - "PREPARE TO BE MARKETED TO." This is how celebrities Jessica Alba, 49ers Quarterback Colin Kapernick, and Golden State Warriors Point Stephen Curry are teasing their new fruit and vegetable campaign, FNV.
Aiming to give produce the star treatment, the campaign will be marketing produce more like its big-brand counterparts, such as Nike and Apple.
The campaign, announced by the Partnership for a Healthier America, was created in conjunction with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative to get families to eat better and exercise. The push is being called "FNV," as a new, cool way to refer to "fruits and vegetables."
"We were inspired by the big brands and, can we do what they're able to do?" said Lawrence Soler, CEO of the Partnership for a Healthier America in an Associated Press article.
The campaign will start primarily on social media networks like Twitter, posting short videos featuring Jessica Alba and NFL quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Cam Newton. Additional videos will be released in coming days starring Curry, New York Giant Victor Cruz, actress Kristen Bell, and others.
A teaser video for the broader campaign is also being posted on FNV's website Thursday. The spot features stars with fruits and vegetables and is set to catchy music, with the words "PREPARE TO BE MARKETED TO" flashing on the screen near the end. According to the Associated Press, come spring, a full marketing push including TV and print ads is slated to hit both the Fresno, California, and Hampton Roads, Virginia markets.
To see the teaser, watch the video below...
The campaign for FNV was created by the Boulder, Colorado-based ad agency Victors & Spoils, which lists clients including Coca-Cola and General Mills on its website. Andrew Nathan, Chief Marketing Officer for Victors & Spoils, noted that fruits and vegetables are already attractive subjects due to their vibrant colors and interesting flavors. The only thing they lack is the "marketing pixie dust" that makes packaged foods so irresistible, he said in a press release.
"Obviously, our inspiration for all this was behaving like a big, iconic brand," Nathan continued, citing Nike and Apple as examples.
Organizations providing support for FNV include Produce Marketing Association, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,
and Jessica Alba’s own Honest Company, which makes baby and home products.
Without providing details, the Partnership for a Healthier America said FNV is already a "multimillion-dollar" campaign and will continue raising funds. Still, it's up against the considerable resources of big food marketers, according to a press release.
Michael Jacobson, Executive Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C., said an advertising campaign for fruits and vegetables could be powerful in influencing eating decisions, but that its effectiveness would depend on how much support it gets and how persistent it is.
"A lot of money for one day won't do anything," Jacobson said.
Will Jessica Alba be powerful enough to change the eating tides in favor of fresh produce? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for continued updates on this star-filled campaign.
PHOENIX, AZ – Sprouts Farmers Market has recorded strong Q4 and FY 2014 results in its latest financial report. Doug Sanders, President and CEO, discussed these newly released financials and the company's rapid expansion plans.
“We are pleased to report another quarter of strong top-line sales growth for Sprouts and solid financial results for the fourth quarter of 2014,” Sanders said.
For the quarter, the retailer saw net sales of $734.6 million, a 21% increase over the same period in 2013, as well as comparable store sales growth of 8.5% and two-year comparable sales growth of 22.3%.
Other highlights from the quarter include:
- Net income of $17.7 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.11
- Adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.12, a 71% increase from the same period in 2013
- Adjusted EBITDA of $53.3 million, a 41% increase from the same period in 2013.
Sanders elaborated in the company’s conference call, saying, “We were very pleased with 8.5% comp sales growth we achieved for the quarter, especially in the face of a 13.8% comp for the same period in 2013 and a 2014 fourth quarter produce season that was tight in availability and quality driven by those weather conditions.”
As for the tight produce season, he clarified that the West Coast port congestion affected the retailer’s key categories – grapes, blueberries and asparagus, as well as California weather affecting both leaf and lettuce categories.
As for FY 2014, Sprouts saw net sales of $2.97 billion, a 22% increase compared to reported net sales in 2013. For the year, the company also saw store sales growth of 9.9% and two-year combined comparable store sales growth of 20.6%.
Other FY highlights include:
- Net income increased to $107.7 million, diluted earnings per share of $0.70
- Adjusted net income increased $111.2 million, a 65% increase from 2013
- Adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.72, a 50% increase from 2013
- Adjusted EBITDA of $265.4 million, a 36% increase from 2013
In 2014, Sprouts opened 24 new stores, which included new market entries in Kansas and Georgia. Sanders says that the new stores are performing well with new store productivity for the year ending just shy of 100%, which is above the company’s historic average of 75%.
According to Sanders, the new stores last year are just the beginning. “Our proven success in new markets is bringing new opportunities as we expand into three new states this year. Our 2015 new store program will include the addition of Alabama, Tennessee and Missouri while continuing to focus 70% of our overall growth in our existing markets,” he said.
Year-to-date for 2015, the company has already opened 7 new stores including new stores in Missouri and Alabama. The company’s real estate plan included 62 approved sites and 45 signed leases for the coming years.
Another 2015 change for Sprouts involves Sanders directly. He has been named to the company’s Board of Directors.
“I am honored to serve Sprouts in my new capacity as a member of its board of directors,” said Sanders. “I look forward to working together with the board to continue delivering our mission of ‘Healthy Living for Less’ to our customers from coast to coast.”
Sprouts’ rapid expansion plans coupled with strong financial reports like these make this retailer one to watch in 2015. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest updates on the ever-evolving retail landscape.
FRESNO, CA - Culinary Competitions International (CCI) is forming new partnerships across the board in order to bring a variety of unique marketing ideas and options to meet client needs.
Approaching the market with its “One Bite at a Time” operation, CCI is looking to increase industry exports for its clients by teaming up with commodity boards and private brands throughout produce and agriculture.
“The challenge that we see our clients constantly faced with, is how to more efficiently and effectively spend the dollars allotted for international marketing,” Peter DeYoung, Chief Executive Officer of CCI, said in a press release.
DeYoung and his team, whose usual focus is developing and evaluating marketing strategies when coordinating foodservice and retail trade presentations, different culinary-related contests, and coordinating international trade delegations visits, will now be focusing their full-time attention to to the international agriculture industry.
“It’s all about creating measurable results for our clients. We have a team of networking professionals in each country which allows us to successfully navigate the challenges unique to each market,” DeYoung said in the release. “Our marketing initiatives that are specific to the culinary industry creatively increase exports and brand awareness. We get the attention of our client’s target buyers and consumers, then deliver results our clients can appreciate.”
CCI has just unveiled its latest creation to clients, TV show Global Bites, which will soon be nationally syndicated.
Focusing on the industry the company says is “responsible for providing our world with the very best produce,” the show is hosted by Fabio Viviani, an internationally-renowned restaurateur and celebrity chef, with a commodity-centric theme.