JAPAN - You know how the saying goes: Lions, Tigers, and... Melon Bears? Yubari, Japan, a city famous for its gourmet melons which can go for thousands of dollars at auction, has apparently decided to create a mascot in order to promote the city's culture and produce community. While I like the idea, I'm not so sure about the design they eventually decided on. After watching the video below, I think it's clear the children of Yubari agree:
Take note, produce companies. Associating your produce with a giant man-eating creature may not be the best way to win over the family demographic. If you think the “man-eating” part was an exaggeration, I'd take note that I'm pretty sure that's blood on its teeth.
Maybe the people behind Melon Bear will prove me wrong and the produce mascot will become a big hit. Until that happens, however, I'll put my money behind the non-carnivorious members of the mascot community.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Berry Fresh is welcoming Evan Pence as its new Domestic Sourcing Manager. He will be responsible for overseeing grower relations and new grower acquisitions in North America.
Pence will work in conjunction with and directly compliment the expanding presence Berry Fresh has already experienced in Oregon with Patrick Garrison, Director of Procurement, and its Albany packing and cooling facility, according to a press release.
“We are very excited to have Evan join the Berry Fresh team to help us move our fresh berry program forward for what we see as a very strong future in the berry category,” says Jyoti Bhogal, Director of Sales. “With Evan concentrating in southern highbush regions and Patrick continuing his work in northern regions, we will provide our customers with a quality, stable lineup for years to come.”
For over ten years, Pence has worked in production agriculture in areas such as Peru, Venezuela, and Mexico. He is a graduate of Sonoma State University and is originally from the Bay Area in California. He currently resides with his family in Portland, Oregon.
Congratulations on joining the Berry Fresh team, Evan!
CALIFORNIA – California residents may be ‘freezing’ this winter, but luckily the citrus crops are not.
After last week’s freeze warning in California’s San Joaquin Valley, the industry was preparing for the worst. Luckily, temperatures remained well above trigger points for the citrus industry. A report from California Citrus Mutual (CCM) states that wind machines and water raised grove temperatures on average by three or four degrees, thereby ensuring no significant fruit damage for any of the major varieties, navel oranges, lemons, and mandarins.
“Our stations clearly indicate that very few locations dipped below 32 degrees for any period of time,” report CCM President Joel Nelsen. “Throughout the night and early morning a few locations experienced short durations of cold temperatures requiring some form of frost protection."
The San Joaquin Valley has over 200,000 acres of citrus farmed, with primary varieties being oranges and mandarin oranges. Lemons and other varieties make up nearly 15% of the Valley's citrus crop. The mandarin and lemon varieties are the most vulnerable with their thinner skin.
"Growers initiated frost protection by 10 PM in most cases," Nelsen continued, referring to New Year's Eve. "No doubt the early start helped keep temperatures higher throughout the night and with lows not reaching 26 dregrees, except in the coldest unprotected areas, we conclude it was a long night but a safe night."
Last week, temperatures in other major producing locations in the state, primarily Ventura, Riverside and Imperial Counties, all saw temperatures well above the threshold of concern, according to a CCM press release.
Some mandarin groves farthest from wind machines may be susceptible to damage in West Kern County were low temperatures were reported consistently, however. Nevertheless, Nelsen assures that this should not affect volume or price significantly.
California’s last freeze for the industry took place in December 2013 with multiple critical temperatures.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest weather updates as they influence the industry.
MEXICO – Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, currently operates nearly 900 successful ultra-small format stores, and there is a good chance you haven’t ever heard of them.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that Wal-Mart is fighting against the street vendors, traditional markets and small stores in Mexico that account for over half of the grocery sales in that country with its own mini-grocer format called Bodega Aurrera Express, which the company launched in 2008.
These stores average around 2,690 square feet of selling space and resemble an oversized mom & pop style store. To put that into perspective, these stores account for just about 3% of the space needed to open a Wal-Mart Supercenter and 7% of the space for Wal-Mart’s Neighborhood Market stores that are proving successful in the United States.
This new format and aggressive strategy came after Wal-Mart’s annual sales in Mexico began to stagnate after years of growth. The retailer hoped they would rejuvenate the Mexican business, which makes up 20% of Wal-Mart’s international sales, according to WSJ.
According to HSBC data, Wal-Mart already controls more than a fifth of all grocery sales in Mexico. That is almost double the market share of its next three big chain-store rivals combined.
After some initial struggle, the sales at Bodega Aurrera Express stores that have been open longer than 12 months have taken off this year. WSJ reports that they saw 12% growth over 2013 for this format versus Wal-Mart’s broader same-store sales, which did not gain at all.
In terms of the U.S., Wal-Mart also saw increases from its roughly 500 Neighborhood Market stores last quarter. As we previously reported, this format posted 5.5% sales increases for the quarter versus the 0.5% increase for Wal-Mart’s total sales.
It will certainly be interesting to see if the successes of these small format stores will affect Wal-Mart’s overall strategy in the U.S. market and abroad.
NORTH AMERICA - North American tomato growers are expecting to see some relief from the high prices seen in the earlier part of December 2014 as Mexican production accelerates.
“Prices feel like they’re starting to loosen up on everything, with the exception of TOV,” said Jeremy Stockwell, Director of Procurement and Sales, Double Diamond Farms. “Volume is going to start ramping up significantly out of Mexico this week and into next week.”
Matt Quiring, Sales Manager with Nature Fresh Farms, agreed, although he noted that we may not see any change in pricing until later this month. “We do see relief from these high prices coming, but not til mid-late January,” Quiring tells us. “Production should start to ramp up and we should get back to seeing a more ‘normal’ market condition.”
Above average fall temperatures and wet weather on the west coast contributed to the climb in all tomato categories in the earlier parts of December.
For field tomatoes out of Florida, extra-large sizes are still in good demand and continue to see strong pricing until Mexico increases shipments of 2-layer and 2-layer greens.
"Extra-large size tomatoes are still in very good demand. I anticipate that trend will continue up until the time you start seeing more increased shipments coming from Mexico," Tony DiMare, Vice President at DiMare Fresh tells us. "Shipments from Mexico are relatively moderate and volume is stable."
The market showed some signs of strengthening in November ahead of the Thanksgiving shipping period. Lower supply from Mexico may have been affected by weather-related events more than reports indicated, growers tell us.
“Availability seems to be limited coming up from Mexico for now and higher domestic markets are also more favorable compared to previous years which is keeping demand and prices up,” Quiring continued. “Back to back holidays at the latter part of December kept movement and demand strong through the end of the year.”
Jimmy Coppola, Account Marketing Manager at TopLine Farms, concurred, noting, “Though the weather in some areas has kept production down, the strong demand has kept prices up. Quality has been fantastic so far, and we foresee an excellent market ahead.”
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to track the North American tomato market into 2015.
CASTROVILLE, CA - Widespread frosts in California have provided an unexpected gift to Ocean Mist Farms this season: Frost Kissed™ artichokes. Available now for a limited time, Frost Kissed™ artichokes are only possible when temperatures drop below 32 degrees, making them a rare item on the produce aisle.
“The impact of frost on artichokes is similar to how human skin reacts to sunburn,” said Joe Feldman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Frost turns the outside layer of the artichoke dark brown, and then it flakes and peels.”
When cooked, this outer layer fades, leaving the familiar soft green artichoke shoppers love, according to a press release.
“Frosting is strictly a cosmetic condition,” Feldman said. “While the brownish color may not look pretty, Frost Kissed™ artichokes actually taste wonderful. The cold weather concentrates the natural artichoke flavors into a more intense, nutty flavor.”
In order to combat any confusion that might arise from the difference in outer color, Ocean Mist Farms is launching an education campaign to teach consumers about Frost Kissed™ artichokes. This campaign will include:
- Website information
- Pictures and recipes sent to all members of the Artichoke club
- Display cards sent to retail customers who will be stocking Frost Kissed™ artichokes
“A Frost Kissed™ artichoke is a very unique item that we don’t have every season,” Feldman said. “Because they are so seasonal, we have to teach shoppers to look for them and be sure to buy them during the short time they are in the stores.”
Keep an eye out for these rare artichokes!
In the latest edition of AndNowUKnow’s print publication, The Snack Magazine, we featured six innovative technologies that just might one day influence the future of the industry.
Check out The Snack article by clicking here, or read the full article below:
Future Tech
Robotic arms and life-logging cameras? Believe it or not, the next generation of high-tech products is already upon us. Straight from science fiction and into reality, we’ve assembled some of the most exciting ideas from innovators and researchers all over the globe. Gestural control, wearables, and robots are just the beginning. Check out these innovative technologies and what they could mean for the future of the industry...
Leap Motion...turns you into a tech maestro, literally. It tracks the position and movement of your hands and fingers so you can interact with anything you see on a screen or monitor. There’s already several apps available that allow you to create, explore, play games, and even make your own custom gestures. Combine Leap Motion with a keyboard and you can have unparalleled precision over your computer. Though it’s not quite yet at the technological level you’d see in the film ‘Minority Report,’ this sleek little device gives us hope that complete gestural control is just around the corner.
Robotic arms...in produce? Maybe someday. This robotic arm, dubbed “Ultra-Fast,” can catch anything. It analyzes and predicts an object’s shape and trajectory about a hundred times per second, allowing it to catch pretty much anything that will fit in the palm of your hand. Plus, it’s so advanced that researchers have been able to teach it how to consistently catch a certain part of an object if needed. Imagine placing this friendly robotic arm under a tree so it catches apples, oranges, and more before they fall to the ground. The possibilities are seemingly endless.
Narrative’s Life-Logging Camera...is a wearable device that snaps two photos every minute, allowing you to relive each moment of your life in a personal timeline that’s automatically organized for you. It’s easy to miss those funny or enjoyable moments with your peers, but now you don’t even have to think about it.
SIGMO...translates speech into 25 different languages. If you’re ever traveling on vacation, away on a business trip, or at a produce convention overseas, SIGMO can instantly translate foreign speech and speak back to you in your native language.
Wall-Ye...is the world’s first robotic vineyard pruner. Using an iPad application, a grower can move the robot up and down vineyard rows to prune grapevines. Wall-Ye is the size of a lawnmower, and clippers in its “hand” make precise cuts, using three cameras to guide each one. On-board software records every cut from season to season.
Oculus Rift...is a virtual reality headset that can create a digital supermarket in your own living room. The headset is able to track your head’s movement, allowing you to look around and interact with the virtual world much like you would in real life. Who knows, maybe someday shoppers will login and browse virtual produce aisles filled with fruits and veggies.
ECHO SUMMIT, CA – The first official survey of the Sierra Nevada snowpack took place this week. It showed that there is more snow than last year at this time, but much more is needed to end the California drought.
The Sacramento Business Journal reports that the Department of Water Resources conducted the survey at an elevation around 6,8oo feet about 90 miles east of Sacramento. The results showed that there is 21.3 inches of snow on the ground after the recent heavy storms. The water content of the snow measured in the survey was approximately 33% of average.
Across California, 105 electronic sensors in the Sierra detected water content of about 50% of the multi-year average for the day, according to the Associated Press. That represents a large improvement over 2013 and 2012, which tied as the driest readings on record with only 20% of the normal level.
“Although this year’s survey shows a deeper snowpack than last year, California needs much more rain and snow than we’ve experienced over the past two years to end the drought in 2015,” Mark Cowin, Director of the Department of Water Resources, said in a news release. “The department encourages Californians to continue their water conservation practices.”
Though it is still well below average, any increase is good news. California’s snowpack supplies nearly a third of the water needed by the state's residents, agriculture and industry as it melts in the late spring and summer.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to track the Sierra snowpack and other significant weather patterns.
FRESNO, CA – The California Table Grape Commission is now accepting applications for the 2015 California Table Grape Workers Scholarship Program. This scholarship includes:
- Three $20,000 scholarships to any four-year California college or university
- Four $3,500 scholarships to any junior or community college, or trade school in California
Check out this link for a downloadable application.
According to a press release, any field worker who worked on the 2014 or 2015 California table grape harvest may apply for this scholarship through Friday, January 30, 2015. Children of eligible field workers may also apply.
Some of last year's recipients include graduates from high schools in the San Joaquin and Coachella valleys of California, including Thermal, McFarland, Bakersfield and Reedley. These individuals have gone on to study human biology, civil engineering, biochemistry and culinary arts.
For the past 30 years, California's table grape growers have contributed to this program, which has awarded over 100 scholarships to field workers and their children from the table grape growing regions in California.
With 2015 just two days away, we decided to take a look back at all of the exciting events that have happened over 2014. For the third and final part of our Year in Review series, we chose to highlight some of the popular new products that we’ve covered throughout the year. While this list is certainly not definitive, it shows some of the great innovations that our industry is known for.
Grimmway Farms' TRUE Organic Juices
Grimmway Farms introduced TRUE organic juices in October to meet the growing demands of consumers looking for new options in the super premium organic juice category. All six vibrant, full-bodied varieties can be purchased in either single serve 12oz or multi-serve 28oz bottles.
“Given the increased popularity of organics, we believed that it was time to develop a juice that combines our home farm grown vegetables with premium fruits to offer a unique and great-tasting organic fruit and vegetable blend,” shared Steve Roodzant, General Manager of Beverage at Grimmway Farms.
Shanley Farms' Gator Eggs
Shanley Farms launched its Gator Eggs single serving avocados in March. The avocados come in a 6-pack carton (8 units to a case) with high graphic décor designed to be bright and attractive for customers to use in their retail efforts.
“Our goal was to provide consumers with an item better suited for single serving avocado consumption. Many consumers go for smaller sizes when adding avocado to individual salads and sandwiches or just as a snack in itself, so this was our way of addressing that avocado trend,” Megan Shanley of Shanley Farms told AndNowUKnow.
Stemilt's Fresh Blenders
Stemilt also launched its new Fresh Blenders™ product line in both sweet and tart apple varieties in order to tap into the growing juice and smoothie consumer movement. To help customers form a connection between the fruit and the farms it was grown on, Stemilt will be including the Mathison family and their message “from our orchards to you” on every Fresh Blenders package.
“Juicing and blending smoothies at home has taken off in recent years,and continues to grow in popularity among consumers across all age demographics,” said Roger Pepperl, Stemilt Marketing Director. “Apples are the perfect base ingredient to any juice or smoothie creation. Fresh Blenders is the perfect platform to directly market to this crowd and deliver them a great grab-and-go value pack.”
Foxy Produce's BroccoLeaf™
This September, Foxy Produce began shipping out a new, organic, non-GMO vegetable called BroccoLeaf™ to nationwide stores. This leafy green delivers a full dose of Vitamin C and is an excellent source of Folate, a key nutrient for heart health and pregnancy.
“It’s incredibly rare, in this day and age, to be able to introduce a new non-GMO organic vegetable into the market,” said Foxy Vice President of Marketing Matt Seeley. “We believe the potential for BroccoLeaf™ is massive and are very excited about consumers’ and retailers’ responses."
Sunkist Fruit 2.0
In September, Sunkist and Snack it Forward LLC launched a line of freeze dried fruit offerings under the new Sunkist Fruit 2.0 brand. This “new way to fruit” is a line of crunchy and crispy 100% real fruit items in a category that is growing double digits annually.
“Up until this point there hasn’t been a strong presence of freeze dried fruit at mainstream retail and there is no strong branded offering,” said Nick Desai, CEO of Snack it Forward LLC. “More recently though, freeze dried fruit has made a resurgence as the technology has improved, allowing us to offer great quality, flavor and an over 12 month shelf life in an amazing shelf stable 100% real fruit snack. It’s a pretty exciting arena to tap into.”
Tanimura & Antle's George T’s Special Colossal Romaine Hearts
Tanimura & Antle released a new lettuce variety in honor of its esteemed co-founder: George T’s Special Colossal Romaine Hearts. The new seed is a combination of two of George Tanimura’s favorite lettuce varieties, Iceberg and Romaine Hearts, joining Iceberg’s crunch and texture with the deep color and sweet flavor of Romaine Hearts.
The new Colossal Romaine Hearts will be packed in a 40lb. 24-count retro-designed carton, featuring the classic red and blue T&A label.
Kalettes™
In June, Tozer Seeds, released Kalettes™, a new kale and Brussels sprout hybrid. This new veggie has a flavor that is a fusion of sweet and nutty and combines the best traits fo its parent vegetables.
Tozer then entered into exclusive marketing agreements with six companies to grow and market Kalettes. The companies included are: 4Earth Farms, Classic Salads, Mann Packing, Ocean Mist Farms, Southern Specialties and WP Rawl. Also in the agreement, Kalettes seeds are sold by Johnny’s Select Seeds to small farmers and home growers.
If you missed them, here are part 1 and part 2 of this series. It has been an excellent year, and we are looking forward to a great 2015.