DALLAS, TX - The Fresh Market has entered the Dallas market with a new store opening. The new store, which opened on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014, will be the company's 5th Texas location. Local growers and producers will be featured prominently in the new store, with a strong selection of fresh, locally sourced produce.
“We are excited to open our new store in Dallas and to expand our reach in Texas,” said Craig Carlock, President and CEO. “We look forward to introducing The Fresh Market’s concept of quality perishables, excellent customer service and a unique atmosphere to an expanded customer base, and we look forward to offering neighboring communities a rewarding new food shopping experience.”
The new store includes over 24,000 square feet of varied grocery offerings, including:
- A fully stocked produce department complete with over 400 items and a large organic selection.
- A bakery that produces 30 freshly baked breads and 14 different pie varieties each day.
- A full service meat counter with freshly ground beef, a wide selection of ready-to-serve entrées, fresh seafood delivered to the store several times per week, and more than 200 imported and domestic cheeses.
“The Fresh Market’s inviting atmosphere is reminiscent of European markets,” Carlock shared. “Our customers enjoy shopping in an environment that appeals to all the senses. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and bread right out of the oven, the sound of classical music, soft lighting with antique décor in an intimate setting, and the ability to select and taste fresh, high-quality products all work together to create surroundings where customers are encouraged to experience the food.”
According to a press release, this new store represents a significant investment in the Dallas community. Not only will the new store bring roughly 90 new jobs to the area, most of which will be filled locally, but The Fresh Market will be partnering with the North Texas Food Bank by providing regular donations of food.
Congratulations on the opening of this exciting new store, The Fresh Market!
LOXAHATACHEE, FL – J&J Family of Farms has hired Mari Danielson as its new Western Sales Manager.
“This is a great opportunity to be able to sell and market all varieties of high-quality produce from a well-established company with a diversified customer base. I am very excited to grow my career with the ‘Family of Farms’ that J&J represents,” said Mari.
According to a press release, Mari began her career in the Phoenix wholesale market and then became a Retail Specialist for C.H. Robinson working in procurement, sales, merchandising, representation and transportation.
After that, she opened a logistics and produce company based in Colorado and in 2006 became the Senior Sales Executive for SunFed.
“With our continued growth in the western region, J&J has now become a national supplier and this has created new opportunities for us to enlarge our sales force and operations,” said Brian Rayfield, VP of Business Development for J&J. “Mari’s produce knowledge combined with her retail and foodservice experience will be an asset to our team.”
Congratulations on this new position, Mari!
WATSONVILLE, CA – Tim York, President of Markon Cooperatives, Inc. will be joining the Alliance for Food and Farming’s Management Board.
“We are really pleased that Tim will be joining our Board,” said Matt McInerney, Executive Vice President of Western Growers and the Alliance for Food and Farming’s current Board Chairman. “Tim is a well-respected leader in the produce industry and is committed to providing safe and healthy fruits and vegetables to his customers. He is a welcome addition to the Alliance Board.”
According to a press release, this is the first time an organization that buys produce from grower-shippers has served as a member of the organization’s Board.
“I respect the Alliance for Food and Farming’s goal to communicate honestly about important issues which can impact consumer confidence in fruits and vegetables,” said Tim. “I also appreciate their desire to promote the safety of both organic and conventional produce.”
Currently, the Alliance for Food and Farming’s membership consists of approximately 50 associations, commodity boards and individual grower-shippers of fruits and vegetables from the U.S.
The goal of the organization is to provide science based, factual information to consumers about produce-related food safety issues, including those concerning pesticide residues and microbial food borne illness.
The Alliance activities are funded by voluntary contributions from its members, and membership is available to farmers or companies who grow, sell, ship or market fruits and vegetables and to associations who represent these businesses.
Congratulations on this new role, Tim!
WASHINGTON D.C. - Sam Kass, Executive Director of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative, the first-ever White House Senior Policy Advisor on Nutrition and personal chef to the First Family, has announced he will be parting ways with the Obama Administration at the end of the month.
“From constructing our Kitchen Garden to brewing our own Honey Brown Ale, Sam has left an indelible mark on the White House,” shared President Obama. “And with the work he has done to inspire families and children across this country to lead healthier lives, Sam has made a real difference for our next generation. Over the years, Sam has grown from a close friend to a critical member of my team, and I am grateful for his outstanding work and look forward to seeing all that he will continue to achieve in the years ahead.”
“Sam has been an integral part of Let's Move! from its very beginning -- from discussions about children's health around my kitchen table in Chicago, to setting the strategic vision of a national campaign in the White House, to spearheading efforts with the private sector across the country,” agreed First Lady Michelle Obama. “Sam leaves an extraordinary legacy of progress, including healthier food options in grocery store aisles, more nutritious school lunches, and new efforts that have improved how healthy food is marketed to our kids. I wish Sam success in all his future endeavors, and I know he will continue to be a leader in the vitally important work to build a healthier country.”
According to a White House press release, Mr. Kass will be living full-time in New York City going forward. A key player in the development of the Administration's nutrition policy, his departure puts an end to a tenure of dedicated service to the First Family and the Obama Administration as a whole.
Although he will be moving on from his time in the White House, the Administration shares he will remain engaged with the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative and will continue to work to advance the cause of childhood nutrition.
The Obama Administration will announce Mr. Kass's successor later this year.
AndNowUKnow would like to wish Mr. Kass the best as he moves into this next exciting phase of his career.
WATSONVILLE, CA - Driscoll's has named C.H. Robinson the “2014 Carrier of the Year” at its first annual carrier recognition event in Watsonville, California. Driscoll's supply chain executives sought to honor carriers whose consistency exceeded expectations and delivered a service in line with Driscoll's vision, mission, and values. With its consistency and alignment to a strategic vision, C.H. Robinson stood apart in this regard.
“Driscoll’s is proud to honor transportation providers, like C.H. Robinson, that go above and beyond by acknowledging our unique and often challenging business and making sure that those practices and values are implemented every day,” said Michael van Horn, Director of Delivered Sales Transportation for Driscoll’s.
“The relationship between C.H. Robinson and Driscoll’s is one of collaborative understanding and open communication,” agreed Luke Gowdy, General Manager at C.H. Robinson. “C.H. Robinson is committed to continuous process improvement in order to provide extraordinary service and help facilitate Driscoll’s mission.”
With the award, Driscoll's recognized the value which C.H. Robinson delivers on a daily basis with flexible transportation solutions supporting the company's delivered sales through more than 40 shipping origins and flexible volume capacity during seasonal surges. Industry leading performances in overall volume, tender acceptance, cold chain management, and on-time performance were also key factors in the decision making process.
The “2014 Carrier of the Year” award caps off a year in which C.H. Robinson was also voted the #1 3PL by Inbound Logistics magazine for the fourth consecutive year, according to a press release.
Congratulations on receiving this impressive award, C.H. Robinson!
SWITZERLAND – Kadi, a manufacturer of potato products for the Swiss foodservice, has added TOMRA’s Eco stream peeler to its production line. According to a press release, excessive maintenance cost pushed the company to look for a new steam peeling solution.
“For us, quality means the optimal combination of long tried and tested recipes, carefully grown and selected raw materials and the use of the latest technologies,” says Kadi's Peter Büeler.
He adds, “TOMRA inspected our processing line to see where it could be improved. Although it was already delivering a very high quality, TOMRA recommended the Eco steam peeler, a steam accumulator, the dry peel separation (DPS) and a new barrel washer. The objective was to provide us with the technology and tools to enable us to optimize the performance of the line even further for each size of potato and each end product.”
TOMRA’s Eco steam peeler has been designed to lower energy usage up to 25% and has an easy-to-use user interface.
“We are very pleased with TOMRA’s Eco steam peeler and we notice that our steam consumption, water usage and maintenance costs are significantly lower than in the past. It’s nice to see that these expenses have dropped considerably. We also see that our peel loss has dropped noticeably,” said Büeler.
“Due to the user-friendliness of the user interface we are really in control of our business,” he adds. “We insist on continuous training for our personnel so that they are able to optimally operate the steam peeling machine. We receive a lot of guidance and assistance from TOMRA here as well. They provide us nonstop with tips and tricks to get the most out of the steam peeling machine.”
Kadi is one of the 3 large suppliers of potato products and frozen foods in the Swiss territory.
SEATTLE, WA – Starbucks has announced a plan to double sales of its food business in the U.S. to $4 billion over the next five years. The coffee giant will be pushing salad boxes, snacks, sandwiches and baked goods.
As we previously reported, Starbucks has already ramped up its produce offerings and even looked to hire a Produce Procurement Manager.
This fresh push seems to be working for the company. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Starbucks has grown to 2% of the fast-food lunch market and increased its breakfast sandwich sales by over 30%. Additionally, the Seattle-based chain has also removed the word “coffee” from its logo.
In addition to its fresh cut fruit options and whole bananas available upon checkout, the company is now offering a line of salads, sandwiches, and paninis with a healthy slant. Starbucks offers a Chicken & Greens Caesar Salad Bowl that highlights lettuce, kale, and roasted tomatoes and a Hearty Veggie & Brown Rice Salad Bowl that features roasted butternut squash, beets, kale, red cabbage, steamed broccoli florets and garden peas.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that as part of this new plan, Starbucks will be dramatically expanding its evening food-and-alcoholic beverages program. The company currently has 32 cafes with these offerings and plans to increase that to more than 2,700 over the next five years. Participating stores offer small plates of cheese, vegetables and flatbread pizza, along with desserts, wine and beer after 4 p.m.
Starbucks is also hoping to entice customers with new mobile ordering and payment technology that will let customers place their orders ahead of time. The app launched in Portland, Oregon and is scheduled to be rolled out across the country next year.
Will Starbucks become a major player in the health food craze? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to track this growing trend.
POMPANO BEACH, FL - Industry veteran John McGuigan is joining Ayco Farms – West as Vice President to spearhead the company’s Western U.S. expansion. He will be responsible for opening offices for Ayco West in Southern California in January, as well as establishing a team of high quality growers and produce professionals to distribute the company’s current portfolio of products, according to a press release.
McGuigan was most recently the former General Manager of Dulcinea Farms and was once Sunkist’s Vice President of Fresh Fruit Sales. His talent and experience with grower relations, sales, and marketing and operations will be invaluable for this role. He was excited to share his enthusiasm for this opportunity, noting, “The diversified product portfolio, including not only their core strength in the melon category, but also asparagus, pineapples, hot house peppers, snow peas, snap peas, and other high quality offerings that Ayco has established, is going to be exciting to take to market.”
McGuigan added, “We are going to approach this opportunity as a start-up with all of the energy, passion, and excitement that start-ups bring to the table for all of our supply chain partners.”
Avi Nir, President and CEO at Ayco Farms, said, “I am very enthusiastic to have John as Vice President of Ayco Farms – West to lead our western expansion, which will include Mexico. John brings the unique combination of vision, strategic leadership, and an impeccable industry track record to this new and critical role.”
Congratulations on joining Ayco, John!
ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL – Clear Lam Packaging is in the midst of a $2 million investment in a new 25,000-square-foot Co-Packing Facility and Innovation Center for its Elk Grove Village manufacturing operation. According to a press release, the facility, which is currently set to open in Spring 2015, will be focused on producing PrimaPak™ packaging for test markets, regional rollouts, seasonal items and an ongoing national distribution.
“The introduction of our new Co-Packing Facility and Innovation Center is an exciting development for Clear Lam and for the advancement of our PrimaPak™ System,” said James Sanfilippo, President and CEO of Clear Lam Packaging, Inc. “We understand that many of our customers are looking for opportunities to streamline processes and improve efficiencies in their packing operations without taking on new staff or having to purchase new equipment.”
Commercial applications for PrimaPak™ technology debuted in North America last Fall. Clear Lam patented technology produces a cubed, semi-rigid package with a reclosable feature from proprietary rollstock. PrimaPak™ packaging is designed as a replacement for rigid cans, bottles, jars, trays and select flexible packaging. Lightweight, stackable and merchandises on six sides, it improves cube by at least 30%.
The Co-Packing Facility will specialize in dry, free-flowing products using Clear Lam’s PrimaPak™ Vertical Form-Fill-Seal (VFFS) System with combination scale weigher. By providing an end-to-end solution for the PrimaPak™ System, the facility supports all phases of the process from packaging materials to the design, printing, filling, sealing, labeling and packing services to get products to market faster. Flexible enough to support both small-batch test product runs and long-term packaging needs, applications include:
- Salty snacks
- Nuts
- Candy
- Dried fruit
- Cereals
- Pet foods
- Detergent pods
- Fertilizer
The two new state-of-the-art production lines are capable of producing 20 million units per year. Additional lines are planned for future installment. Clear Lam says that it will also assist on an as-needed basis with the sourcing and purchasing of raw materials; shipping, freight and logistic services; and inventory and warehouse storage of materials and findings.
The Innovation Center also boasts a Quality Control Laboratory. The company shares that it takes a collaborative approach to the quality control process in order to ensure that all of its products meet the expectations of its clients. Clear Lam products are tested for strength and other physical properties, oxygen transmission rates, and optical properties of various packaging materials.
Great work on this new facility, Clear Lam Packaging!
MICHIGAN - Over the next several years, Kroger reports that it will be investing over $100 million annually in order to expand and renovate its Michigan retail operation.
"The Michigan market is very, very important to Kroger Co.," shared Jayne Homco, President of Kroger's Novi-based division. "We have facilities we've outgrown here in Michigan, and we want to make sure we can continue to grow. When you look at some of the other players here, we have a lot of mass (product retailers) with Meijer and Wal-Mart...We fill a very nice niche with our traditional grocer status."
While Kroger itself declined to share what part of its $77 billion in total revenue (excluding fuel) the Michigan stores were responsible for, Morningstar Stock Analyst Ken Perkins extimated the number at around 5%, according to Crain's Detroit Business.
Kroger has already invested $10-$12 million in an expansion of its Rochester Hills location. These expansions increased the square footage of the store by 50%, from 60,000 square feet to 90,000 square feet, according to Crain's Detroit Business. A similar expansion is planned for Kroger's Canton Township store at Canton Center and Ford Rd.
Kroger is also in the process of completing a $40-$60 million renovation program for ten of its Michigan-based stores in:
- Bloomfield Township
- Troy
- West Bloomfield Township
- Farmington Hills
- Springfield Township
- Lansing
- Flushing
- Port Huron
- Canton Township
- Birmingham
The new stores boast redone floors, revamped food cases, new décor and rearranged department locations.
Key to Kroger's strategy will be increasing the presence of fresh locally-sourced food in its stores. For example, Homco explained that the cranberries Kroger offered during the previous Thanksgiving season were grown locally in Michigan.
"It's neat to be able to procure it locally," Homco said. "People want to support the local economy ... and I think you get a fresher product that way."
Be sure to stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for future updates on Kroger and the Michigan retail market.