TRANSINNE, BELGIUM – Locus Traxx Worldwide EU has appointed Sales Agents in Italy and Spain to head its operations in those countries. These appointments are part of the company’s strategy to bring its business closer to growers in important fruit and vegetable producing nations.
According to a press release, Locus Traxx reached an agreement with fresh produce industry veterans Tomás Rosatto and Domenico Pistolesi. Under that agreement, the appointees' years of experience and extensive contacts as Sales Agents for Spain and Italy, respectively, will work to boost the service Locus Traxx is able to offer.
“This is part of our growth strategy; to implement a direct presence with comprehensive understanding and knowledge for the fresh produce industry in two of the largest producers of fruit and vegetables in Europe,” said Locus Traxx EU Managing Director, Ray Hoffman.
“We think that Tomás’ and Domenico’s relationship and close contacts with growers and shippers will allow us to have a better insight into the needs of our customers. Our direct presence will allow us to quickly adapt our offer to provide them with the best possible service,” Ray added.
Tomás is a fruit and vegetable importer-exporter with over 27 years of experience in the fresh produce sector. His previous experience includes the role of Director of Quality and Distribution in Utrecht, the Netherlands for Brantina, as well as Export Manager for Asia, South Africa and Canada.
He also has extensive knowledge of quality control and logistics in the fresh produce industry along with a solid network of contacts in Spain that will allow Locus Traxx to have closer contact with the players in the Spanish fruit and vegetable sector.
Similarly, Domenico has over 30 years of experience in the Italian fruit and vegetable sector with knowledge of all stages of fruit and vegetable production, as well as the logistics related to the industry. His experience and comprehensive network will allow Locus Traxx to serve the players in the Italian fresh produce sector as well.
Aside from these new appointments, Locus Traxx has also announced the launch of a new version of its SmartTraxx GO device monitoring fresh produce shipments. The new improvements and new features for 2015 include a light sensor to provide security alerts when the doors of a trailer or container are opened and an accelerometer and extended battery to cover all seafreight shipments.
Congratulations on these new positions, Tomás and Domenico!
SANTA MARIA, CA – Kalettes™, the new vegetable hybrid of kale and Brussels sprouts, are receiving praise from consumers and media outlets.
Fine Dining Report has named them on its 12 Food Trends Coming in 2015 list. They were also named in Elle Magazine’s 25 Things You Need to Know About This Fall list.
The new vegetable was also the featured photo in a Thanksgiving dinner article printed in the New York Times as well as a string of articles throughout the fall including:
- Women’s Health
- Good Housekeeping
- Prevention
- Shape
- Self
- EveryDay with Rachel Ray
- Family Circle
This publicity has increased consumer demand for Kalettes. According to a press release, supply is increasing as several growers have started harvesting and selling Kalettes but continues to be limited with some of the other growers. Production is expected to increase in the coming months.
“We are thrilled with all the positive attention Kalettes have received from these reputable media outlets and the consumer demand has grown with each story,” said Kraig Kuykendall, Sales Manager of Tozer Seeds America. “Supply is finally increasing and soon consumers can find Kalettes on store shelves across the country.”
Kalettes are not genetically modified and were developed by cross-pollination, according to a press release. Tozer developed the kale-brussels sprout hybrid after more than a decade of research and is working with several cooperators to grow and market Kalettes.
As we previously reported, Tozer Seeds has 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.
With all of the buzz that has been building, it will be interesting to see if Kalettes will be one of the next big produce trends in 2015. I will certainly be tracking this as their nationwide release nears.
WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES - Rumors have swirled around Roundy's concerning whether the retailer is preparing to abandon the Wisconsin retail market. Roundy's operates over 100 Wisconsin-based stores, including:
- 91 Pick 'n Save locations
- 25 Copps locations
- 4 Metro Market locations
A divestiture of this magnitude would significantly shift the balance of power in the region. The question is, however, how much truth is behind the rampant speculation and rumors?
Roundy's Spokesman, James Hyland, unequivocally denied any validity behind these rumors when questioned by The Street's Sarah Pringle.
"Any rumors or innuendos regarding Roundy's selling its Wisconsin stores is 100% false. There is no sale of our Wisconsin stores," he explained.
One hears a different story when speaking with DJL Research Supermarket Consultant and Analyst, David Livingston, however.
"They're not getting anywhere in Wisconsin," he shared, explaining why he believes that virtually all Roundy's locations north of the Illinois state line, save its Metro Market line, are on the table. "Same-store sales continue to plummet. There's tons of new competitors. Everybody's looking at them."
David told The Street that he expects Roundy's to begin selling off store locations in small bunches every few months.
A fellow analyst with Moody's Investors Service Inc, Mickey Chadha, disagreed with David's view somewhat. He shared with The Street that while he agrees Roundy's executives are paying close attention to the proper regional makeup of their stores, he isn't confident a Wisconsin asset sale is the focus.
"Roundy's has been in more of a consolidating mode of evaluating store profitability based on where they are located," he said. "Obviously I think there are going to be more closures, but it depends on how many to [achieve] the optimum level store base."
If Roundy's does choose to sell its Wisconsin assets, The Street notes that Festival Foods, Whole Foods, Trig's and Piggly Wiggly could all be possible buyers.
Only time will tell how this situation will develop. Be sure to stay tuned to ANUK, however, to find out the latest.
UNITED STATES - Key data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals that women are becoming a growing force in the agricultural community. Between 1970 and 2012, for example, the number of female-run farms in the United States has tripled to nearly 14%.
According to NPR, this statistic likely understates the importance women play on America's farms. Womens' labor is often not included in the official USDA numbers because of the way in which farm businesses are structured. One third of farms are operated by married couples, but men show up in demographic data more often because these farms are often in their name.
"Women have always worked in agriculture, historically. I think a key issue is whether or not it's counted," explained Julie Zimmerman, a Rural Sociologist at the University of Kentucky. "If you see working on your farm as being part of your role as the spouse or the wife, as helping out, then you might not even recognize it as being 'working on the farm,' even if you're doing it all the time."
Women like Mary Kraft, the Owner, CFO and driving force behind Badger Creek Dairy outside Fort Morgan, Colorado, are changing this perception in the industry, however.
"In the past you had to be this big, burly guy with forearms the size of a post in order to turn a tractor, because they didn't have power steering," she shared with NPR. "It used to be you didn't inherit if you were a girl from a farm family. And I think [now] people are going, 'I want somebody who's going to carry on the farm. So if it's the young lady ... awesome.'"
These numbers also do not count the increasing number of women working in a professional capacity behind the scenes for some of the biggest brands in produce. Women fill key roles on executive boards as well as on marketing, sales and retail staffs, many of whom AndNowUKnow works with on a daily basis.
It will be fascinating to see how these demographic numbers continue to grow and evolve over time. After all, who knows where the industry will be another 40 years from now.
SALINAS, CA – Foxy Produce was awarded the Joe Nucci Award for Product Innovation by the New York Produce Show and Conference.
According to a press release, the award, which honors companies for product innovation in service of expanding fresh fruit and vegetable consumption, recognized Foxy Produce for the development and introduction of its new, organic, non-GMO vegetable called BroccoLeaf™.
Foxy Vice President of Marketing, Matt Seeley, said, “We are so thrilled to have received this award and want to thank the New York Produce Show for their recognition of the BroccoLeaf and Foxy Organics. A special thank you to Lorri Koster of Mann Packing who presented the award to us and to Joe Nucci for having paved the way in product innovation.”
As we previously reported, BroccoLeaf contains all of the major vitamins, minerals and health benefits of broccoli, plus the lighter and sweeter taste. Labs tests showed that BroccoLeaf:
- Provides an excellent source of Calcium
- Is an excellent source of Antioxidants---Vitamin A & K
- Delivers an adult dose of Vitamin C
- Is packed with Folate, a key nutrient for heart health and pregnancy
- Contains phytonutrients which include the 3 cancer fighting Glucosinates
BrocoLeaf made its retail debut in October of this year and is currently available nationwide, and distribution is continuing to grow.
Congratulations on the award, Foxy Produce!
BERKELEY, CA – A new study by UC Berkeley researchers suggests that organic farming crop yields are higher than previously thought.
“In terms of comparing productivity among the two techniques, this paper sets the record straight on the comparison between organic and conventional agriculture,” said the study’s senior author, Claire Kremen, Professor of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and Co-Director of the Berkeley Food Institute. “With global food needs predicted to greatly increase in the next 50 years, it’s critical to look more closely at organic farming, because aside from the environmental impacts of industrial agriculture, the ability of synthetic fertilizers to increase crop yields has been declining.”
The findings, which were obtained through a meta-analysis of 115 different studies with a dataset three times larger than any previously published work, are set to be published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. They reveal that organic yields are only 19.2% lower than those obtained from conventional farming methods, a number which may even be overstated given many previous studies were biased towards conventional methods, according to the researchers.
This yield gap can be further shrunk through the use of certain agricultural techniques, such as multi-cropping and crop rotation, according to the study. Doing so can reduce the organic-to-conventional yield gap to only 9% or 8% respectively. Furthermore it was found that certain crops, including beans, peas and lentils experienced no significant difference in yield between conventional and organic methods.
“Our study suggests that through appropriate investment in agroecological research to improve organic management and in breeding cultivars for organic farming systems, the yield gap could be reduced or even eliminated for some crops or regions,” said the study’s lead author, Lauren Ponisio, a graduate student in environmental science, policy and management. “This is especially true if we mimic nature by creating ecologically diverse farms that harness important ecological interactions like the nitrogen-fixing benefits of intercropping or cover-cropping with legumes.”
“It’s important to remember that our current agricultural system produces far more food than is needed to provide for everyone on the planet,” Kremen added. “Eradicating world hunger requires increasing the access to food, not simply the production. Also, increasing the proportion of agriculture that uses sustainable, organic methods of farming is not a choice, it’s a necessity. We simply can’t continue to produce food far into the future without taking care of our soils, water and biodiversity.”
Though conventional farming methods still outpace their organic counterparts, this research seems to shed some light on previous assumptions. It’ll be interesting to see where this study may lead.
BENTONVILLE, AR - Judith McKenna has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer for Wal-Mart U.S. She succeeds Gisel Ruiz, who has now been appointed Executive Vice President of Wal-Mart International People Division. These changes are effective immediately.
McKenna, an almost 20 year veteran at Wal-Mart, will be responsible for leading the company’s small format stores, development of new formats, expansion of Wal-Mart services, and the integration of digital commerce into its existing U.S. stores, according to a press release.
“At her core, Judith is a retailer who has made major contributions to our business throughout her career,” said Greg Foran, Wal-Mart U.S. President and CEO. “It’s exciting to bring her skills in managing store operations, small format growth, logistics, and e-commerce to an expanded role in our U.S. operations. Her knowledge of global best practices and her success in leading our associates around the world will help drive our Wal-Mart U.S. business forward.”
Under Ruiz’s guidance, Wal-Mart opened more than 400 new U.S. stores, improved operational efficiencies, and increased representation of women and people of color across operations leadership roles. In her new role as Executive Vice President, Ruiz will primarily lead Wal-Mart’s human resources strategy as part of its Global People leadership team.
David Cheesewright, Wal-Mart International President and CEO, says he is looking forward to the impact Ruiz will have on the company’s associates and business worldwide. “Gisel is an inspirational leader who has consistently contributed to Wal-Mart’s growth and success throughout her 22 years with the company,” he said. “Her proven track record and unwavering commitment to our associates make her the perfect choice for this new role.”
Congrats on your new roles with Wal-Mart, Judith and Gisel!
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES - Oppy is six weeks into its Envy apple harvest in Washington state and New Zealand and with 20% of the year's crop already sold, it is shaping up to be another excellent season. Volume has been outstanding this year, with Oppy estimating a total crop of about 300,000 boxes.
Given the success which the grower has enjoyed in Washington and New Zealand, David Nelley, Category Director for Oppy shared that there are plans in place to expand acreage in both regions in the future. By 2020, Oppy expects to be harvesting 2 million boxes out of Washington state and an additional 1.5 million boxes out of New Zealand.
For now, however, Oppy's attention is fixed on the present in order to ensure the successful completion of its current Envy apple harvest. David shared with me the excitement felt by everyone at Oppy over this year's crop.
“Demand has been robust through this point in our season,” he said. “Last year at this time, we had sold approximately 18,000 boxes of Envy apples. We've more than doubled that number this year to 58,000. While apple sales may slow as we get closer to Christmas, Oppy foresees several more very healthy sales in the weeks ahead.”
“We have been fortunate to be able to meet this strong market with a particularly high quality Envy crop,” he continued. “Envy has enjoyed an excellent harvest this year for most. Firm, consistent, great-sized, and very juicy, we are confident that consumers will be very pleased with the quality of the fruit they will be receiving from our growing fields in both Washington state and New Zealand.”
Congratulations on the start of an excellent season, Oppy. It certainly does seem to be shaping up to be a great one!
CASHMERE, WA – Crunch Pak® has partnered with the New Victory Theater in New York City to offer sliced apple products to NYC’s youngest theater patrons in their concession stands during their shows.
Tony Freytag, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, said, “We continually look for innovative ways to get our products into the hands of consumers. Partnering with the New Victory Theater helps the theater provide healthy snack options to its patrons and we gain exposure to a whole new consumer group.”
According to a press release, the theater management contacted Crunch Pak earlier this year for permission to sell its fresh sliced apple products. With the help of its distributor partner in New York, Crunch Pak was able to supply the theater with cases of its DipperZ snack line.
“When New York families come to the New Victory, they have fun exploring the performing arts together; offering healthy and convenient snack options is just another way to ensure that every visit to the New Vic is easy and fun,” said Melinda Berk, Director of Operations at the New Victory Theater.
The theater is located on 42nd Street in the heart of New York City’s Times Square. The not-for-profit theater company was created in 1995 especially for kids. It also partners with New York City schools to offer educational programming as well as jobs within the theater’s operations.
Crunch Pak has had a presence in New York City’s Times Square since 2013 when the company began a brand building campaign on an electronic billboard.
ISSAQUAH, WA – Costco Wholesale Corporation has seen strong results for its first quarter of fiscal 2015, which ended on November 23, 2014.
The wholesale giant posted net sales of $26.28 billion, a 7% increase over the $24.47 billion during the same quarter last year. The company also saw comparable sales for Q1 increase by 5%.
Costco reported net income of $496 million, or $1.12 per diluted share, compared to $425 million, or $0.96 per diluted share, last year.
In 2013, Costco stated that it planned to open 150 new warehouses over the following 5 years, with 55 of these concentrated in the United States alone. The new stores, primarily located in unentered markets, according to Executive Vice President and CFO Richard Galanti, would mean a wider market and more customers shopping each day. This aggressive approach to expansion has been key to the Costco growth model.
According to its current financial report, the company currently operates 671 warehouses. That includes 474 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 88 in Canada, 32 in Mexico, 26 in the United Kingdom, 20 in Japan, 11 in Korea, 10 in Taiwan, 7 in Australia and 1 in Spain.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to follow Costco's growth strategy.