Congratulations are in order for the New England Patriots, who beat out the Seattle Seahawks in an ultra-close game at last night’s Super Bowl. But the real winners are those in front of their television sets, because this year’s crop of Super Bowl commercials were some of the most memorable in years. The cute, the funny, the sexy, the flops— good or bad, they always leave an impression. Here are ANUK's 5 favorite commercials from this year's big game:
1. Avocados From Mexico
Finally! Here’s the one all of us in the produce industry have been waiting for. As we’ve previously reported, Avocados From Mexico became the first ever produce company to air an advertisement during football’s biggest night. In this spot featuring the first draft of all time, Australia selects the kangaroo, Brazil chooses the sloth, and Mexico picks... the avocado! Doug Flutie, Jerry Rice, and a caveman provide the commentary and a little star power to this landmark ad.
2. Snickers
The "You're Not You When You're Hungry" theme has been one of the more eye-catching commercial gimmicks in recent memory, and this one is right up there with the best. Action star Danny Trejo plays the part of an irritable Marcia Brady having a conversation with her parents, and Steve Buscemi guest stars as the ever-whining Jan.
3. Bud Light
Similar to last year’s “Up for Whatever” commercial, an unsuspecting bargoer is treated to a wild night. When he accepts a Bud Light, he is put into a life-size Pac-Man maze, where our Bud-drinking hero must evade real-life “ghosts”. How about a Super Mario Brothers obstacle course for all those Nostalgia-fueled Millennials next? Make it happen Bud Light!
4. Squarespace
How many of you fell asleep to DreamingWithJeff.com last night? Squarespace, a website that helps you build websites, gives us this spot with Jeff Bridges chanting "Ommm" over the bed of a sleeping couple. Then comes a promo for something called "dreamingwithjeff.com." Yes, this is an actual website you can go to right now that provides Jeff Bridges’ sleeping tapes.
5. Doritos
We've all been there. You're on a plane and the middle seat is still open— and you're hoping no one takes it. Our character here goes to great lengths to make sure no one takes that seat— pretending to be sick, playing a recorder, reading a book about irritable bowl syndrome. He stops all this when he sees an attractive woman, but he gets more than he bargained for when he encourages her to sit next to him by flashing a bag of Doritos.
So there you have it! Now you’re ready to dominate those post-Super Bowl talks around the water cooler!
WAHIAWA, OAHU – There is a new proposal in the Hawaii State Legislature that would have Dole Food Company trade thousands of acres of former pineapple land for the Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) site in Kalihi.
Hawaii News Now reports that under this proposed land swap, Dole would give the state a parcel of over 15,000 acres of former pineapple fields that the company planned to sell for nearly $185 million in exchange for the 11-acre OCCC site in Haliki, which is located along the rail transit line. The state would then rent that new land to farmers.
“The idea here is to get more ag lands so we can provide farmers long-term leases, so that they can make the investments possible to have really a long-term future in ag,” Wahiawa State Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz told Hawaii News Now.
As part of the trade, Dela Cruz also wants the state to give Dole Food Company other state-owned land along the rail route that has enough values so that the company would pay for a badly needed new prison in Halawa.
“What this enables the state to do is get a new prison without spending any dollars, any cash or any CIP, and we can exchange the additional value of land to achieve that,” Dela Cruz added.
Sources tell Hawaii News Now that there have been high-level talks among state government officials about parts of the deal, but that it is a work in progress that is far from agreed upon.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to track this developing story.
WENATCHEE, WA – Looking for the perfect romantic location to take your Valentine this year? Try your nearest produce department!
Stemilt is helping retailers to tie into the color of hearts and roses with its latest “Apple of the Month” promotion.
For February, Stemilt is featuring Red Delicious, with promotion opportunities on a variety of bag sizes packed in either DRCs (display ready cartons) or high-graphic, half tri-wall bins with World Famous Apples messaging.
"Red Delicious is an important part of the apple category,” said Stemilt Marketing Director, Roger Pepperl. “Reds made up 11.2% of category sales nationally in November, which is the latest 4 weeks reported by Nielsen scan data. That’s 1 Red for every 10 apples sold. It’s important to use this value item in retail promotions all year long, and February is an ideal time for Reds to be on prominent display in produce with the entire store focusing on Valentine’s Day and the color red."
Pepperl added that promoting large Red Delicious in 5-pound or 8-pound bags in weekly ads and in-store specials for February will help retailers exceed their normal movement and deliver value to shoppers on an item that makes up a big portion of category sales, according to a press release.
So if you’re looking for a way to spice up your February 14th this year, a Red Delicious might be the perfect addition.
MEXICO CITY, MX – Mexican retailer Soriana has confirmed its agreement to buy 160 stores from Controladora Comercial Mexicana (CCM) for $2.6 billion.
This acquistion positions Soriana as the country’s second-largest retail chain, behind only Wal-Mart de Mexico.
“Our main [chain] competitor remains much bigger than us. That’s one reason for the acquisition, to get closer to them,” Soriana Chief Executive Ricardo Martín Bringas told the Wall Street Journal on a conference call. “Better and more balanced competition will benefit all Mexicans.”
This agreement with CCM includes the acquisition of 118 fully owned stores and the lease for 42 others from a third party. This would boost Soriana’s store count to 834. Soriana is planning to initially finance the purchase through debt, and aims to pay it off within four years.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the retailer is also considering an equity sale to raise between $500 million and $600 million in capital to help pay down the acquisition and expects to sell more than $100 million in nonstrategic assets.
This acquisition will leave CCM with just 40 high-end stores along with other assets that the retailer plans to spin off to create a new company less than a quarter of its original size, according to Reuters.
For now, Soriana will be sitting comfortably as Mexico’s second-largest retail chain with about 22% market share.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest on this acquisition and other significant retail news.
HEATHROW, FL - Axia Vegetable Seeds, BV, located in Naaldwijk, Holland, have signed with Village Farms as its first ever exclusive North American Partnership according to a press release.
“The two companies have forged a long-term partnership and have created a unique relationship based on exclusive agreements to the benefit of both,” Debi Street, Director of Variety Development & Innovations for Village Farms, said.
Axia is a vegetable seed breeding company operating out of a state-of-the-art greenhouse facility in the Netherlands. With a strong focus on customer needs and the breeding, developing, and distributing of high-performance vegetable seeds, this company’s commitments seem to align well with one of the largest producers and distributors of greenhouse-grown fruits and vegetables in North America.
“Village Farms continues to be steadfast in its efforts to search the world over for consumer-centric varieties and be first to market,” Michael A. DeGiglio, Village Farms President and CEO, said. “The Axia partnership is the positive result of our dedication to this mission.”
Alois van Vliet, CEO of Axia, shares in DeGiglio’s satisfaction, believing the partnership will further highlight its products in the North American market.
“Axia has found in Village Farms a partner who truly understands the importance of creating value with our tomato varieties by starting with the brand marketing that is focused on the consumer and their preferences,” Vliet said.
If you haven’t heard of Axia before, you’re about to.
PLEASANTON, CA & BOISE, ID – This morning, Safeway and Albertsons announced the completion of the long-awaited $9.2 billion merger.
As we previously reported, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has granted approval to the Safeway/Albertsons merger on the condition that the retailers complete the sales of 168 stores.
Under the agreed upon settlement:
- Haggen Holdings, LLC will acquire 146 Albertsons and Safeway stores in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington
- Supervalu Inc. will acquire two Albertsons stores in Washington
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. will acquire 12 Albertsons and Safeway stores in Texas - Associated Food Stores Inc. will acquire eight Albertsons and Safeway stores in Montana and Wyoming
"We plan to be the favorite local supermarket in every community we serve," said Safeway President and CEO Robert Edwards, who becomes President and CEO of the newly combined company, effective immediately. "We will do this by knowing, listening to, and delighting our customers; providing the right products at a compelling value; and delivering a superior shopping experience. We will also continue to be active members of our local communities."
Bob Miller, Albertsons current Chief Executive Officer who will become Executive Chairman, also spoke about the completion of the merger in a press release.
"This is a transformative day for both Albertsons and Safeway. This merger creates a unified, strong organization that is dedicated to bringing a better shopping experience to more customers across the country," commented Miller. "Our combined geographic footprint, vast range of brands and products, and service-oriented staff will enable us to meet evolving shopping preferences."
This merger will create a diversified network that includes 2,230 stores, 27 distribution facilities and 19 manufacturing plants with more than 250,000 employees across 34 states and the District of Columbia.
For a look at Safeway and Albertsons new leadership team and division leaders, check out our previous article by clicking here.
With a merger of this size, there are sure to be many more changes to come. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest updates.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack predicts U.S. trade with Cuba could rebound from its current $300 million to close to $500 million, with Florida among the states capitalizing the most.
"Today I can't use a single dollar of my trade promotion (budget) for our trade with Cuba," Vilsack said in an interview this week with the Tampa Bay Times. "It's 11 million people, a $1.7 billion market, and we really ought to be dominating that market."
To further increase these profits, Vilsack urged Congress to go beyond the loosened trade restrictions ordered by President Obama. Namely, he called for Congress to allow the Department of Agriculture to promote trade in Cuba and other international markets where it is currently immobilized. Vilsack says the prolonged Cuban embargo has caused the U.S. to lose economic ground to European and South American markets.
The list of agricultural products that could be exported to Cuba is a lengthy, including rice, poultry, soybeans, fruits, and vegetables, to name a few. Florida ports can capitalize in two ways: as a direct shipper of fruits and vegetables and as a conduit for products brought in from other states, Vilsack told the Tampa Bay Times.
Even without trade promotions, just January’s loosened restrictions will make a difference, Vilsack said. For one, goods will no longer have to be paid for in advance, a major disadvantage for Cubans "who don't have a lot of cash," he said. Previously, Cubans had to go through a third party to receive many American products, which they can now deal directly with American banks to get.
Vilsack also included a few observations on other markets. For one, he believes that an expanding middle class in Asia and the Trans-Pacific Partnership could grow trade opportunities there from $525 million today, to more than $2 billion within 15 years. And when the Tampa Bay Times asked about his department’s top priority in Florida, Vilsack offered battling citrus greening, a disease that has decimated Florida's orange crop, adding that there is risk of “fundamentally altering” the entire agriculture structure of Florida.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for continuing updates on Cuba trade relations.
UNITED STATES – It has been a long time coming, but avocados are stealing the show at Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIX.
As we’ve previously reported, Avocados From Mexico is airing a 30-second TV spot during the big game. This will be the first time a produce company has aired an advertisement during football’s biggest night.
“Avocados From Mexico is proud to be the first produce supplier to have an advertisement featured during the most popular event of the year,” shared Alvaro Luque, President of Avocados From Mexico. “We are excited to be advertising during the ‘Big Game’, but more importantly, we’re committed to giving consumers a nutritious way to enjoy game-time, and anytime snacking. This ad continues the trend toward good for you choices advertised in a big way, and we’re thrilled to be a part of that important shift.”
With this type of exposure and a marketing budget that can afford 30-seconds of airtime for $4.5 million, it is clear that avocado sales are steadily rising. In January 2014 alone, 70 million pounds of avocados were consumed in the U.S., while 421 million pounds were sold through foodservice establishments throughout the course of the year.
The Hass Avocado Board is expecting nearly 120 million pounds, or 240 million fresh avocados, to be consumed during the week of the Big Game. If this prediction holds true, it will be a record 21% more than 2014. For a bit of perspective, that amount of avocados would fill a football stadium end zone to end zone, 46 feet up.
This type of popularity for avocados hasn’t come overnight. Jan DeLyser, VP of Marketing for the California Avocado Commission, tells me, “The connection between avocados and the big game has been established over time. We can see marketing support for consumption of avocados at big game events going back to the early 80s.”
According to DeLyser, the Super Bowl, Cinco de Mayo and the 4th of July are now the biggest three days of the year for avocado consumption. With the market expected to grow 8.1% through 2019, these impressive gains aren't forecasted to let up any time soon.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest information as the post-game avocado numbers come in.
No matter who you’re rooting for, anyone who was stuck with (or kind enough to volunteer) hosting a party to watch the Big Game is going to be stressing about more than the score this coming Sunday.
ANUK’s staff feel your pain and are here to help, pulling together to give you our own list to make sure you win, no matter what the score says at the end of the fourth quarter.
1. Always have fruit juice on hand!
It's versatile. Use it as quencher, a chaser... We won't judge you.
2. Speaking of beverages, mark yours clearly and responsibly.
Nobody wants to see what happens when your passionate, somewhat pushy - but you love him! - uncle mixes the fruit punch with THAT fruit punch…
3. Review your guest list!
Make sure you didn’t invite your sister’s boyfriend’s ex that you do yoga twice a week with or your neighbor’s pet psychic. No one needs that kind of drama.
4. You can never have too much guacamole.
No really, it’s impossible. Go crazy.
5. No matter how many times you warn them, they will eat the spicy Buffalo wings.
And you can’t NOT have spicy buffalo wings. So we recommend strategically placing antacids next to the bowl. If they don’t get the hint, they’ll take the chewables. And luckily you have extra juice on hand…
6. Buy two bowls of cheese dip.
We would tell you not to eat an entire bowl of cheese before the guests even arrive, but that’s just crazy. Buy two and they’ll never have to know. We won’t tell if you won’t.
7. Selling premium seats on the sofa is a go.
Hold an auction or just charge your friends for the best seats in the house. As a host, this is your right.
8. Double-dipping is NEVER cool.
And there shall be penalties. Think on what they are, because you will need them. Sorry.
9. Set your DVR’s…
Avocados are making their Super Bowl premier! Pay tribute to that guacamole and record the moment.
10. Skip the pre-game…
Watch the Puppy Bowl! Trust us, it’s better.
11. The Game is optional, the commercials are mandatory.
Maybe this should have been rule one…
12. Did you hear Katy Perry is the half-time entertainer?
Better start learning the lyrics to Firework… you know she’s going to do it.
13. And while you’re at it, ‘put your money where your mouth is.’
Katy Perry’s outfits have been a bigger focus than the actual game. Will they be crazy? Will they ‘malfunction’? Better start placing your bets!
And there you have it. Just remember, first and foremost, to have fun with it. We won’t hate on you for making juices from concentrate or getting a take-and-bake pizza, but if you're like D'Arrigo Bros, you know fresh is best for Super Bowl Sunday.
Good luck!
KANSAS CITY, MO - FreshXperts announced several changes and additions in a press release including a new owner, chairman, and two new associates.
Jonathan Raduns has joined as the company’s newest owner. Raduns holds a Food Marketing and Distribution degree from Rochester Institute of Technology, bringing over 10 years of experience in the produce industry. He is currently working as a Retail Food Merchandising and Marketing Consultant for Merchandise Food LLC, consulting with clients on merchandising, training, and reinvention strategies designed to grow their businesses.
“I am so pleased to be expanding my role with the organization as an owner. I look forward to working with the other FreshXperts to help our clients operate their businesses more efficiently and profitably while minimizing waste,” Raduns said.
The founding member of the company, Anthony Totta, has replaced Ron Pleger as Chairman of the Board, promoted from his former position as Vice Chairman.
Michael Gretz and David Pennington have also joined as Associates.
The new Chairman attributes a strong growing team to an expanding client base.
“As our client base expands and our consultancy grows, we want to make sure that we continue to provide our clients with the same high level of personal attention and customer service that they have come to expect from our team of FreshXperts,” Totta said in a press release. “ Our owners, associates and affiliate members work collaboratively to offer competency in nearly every area of the fresh industry, providing cohesive, comprehensive solutions to our clients’ business challenges.”
Recently appointed Administrator and General Manager PJ Petrillo, according to Totta, has been a key part of that direction, and believes that these latest additions will further help the company’s growth in its desired direction.
“FreshXperts is looking for the ‘right’ partners to join us in our expansion, not just ‘any’ partners,” Petrillo said. “We believe that we’ve found the ‘right’ kind of partners in Jonathan Raduns, David Pennington and Mike Gretz. They are experienced and professional team players, and their unique experiences and skill sets will prove valuable additions to the FreshXperts team.”
We shall see what the freshest members at FreshXperts have in store.