MINNEAPOLIS, MN – C.H. Robinson posted its Q3 earnings report on Tuesday October 28th, reporting $3.46 billion in total revenues and impressive growth numbers throughout the organization. According to a press release, this year's total revenues represent a 4.5% increase over last year's Q3 earnings numbers which were reported at $3.31 billion. Similarly, net income rose 16.0% to 124.8 million from $107.7 million in Q3 2013.
Some other important highlights from the report include:
- A 15.8% increase in truckload net revenues to $307.3 million from $265.5 million in Q3 2013.
- A 1% increase in North American truckload volumes.
- A 10.6% increase in less-than-truckload (LTL) net revenues to $67.9 million from $61.4 million in Q3 2013. A 7% increase in total shipments and increased customer pricing is largely responsible for these gains, although some of this increase was offset by higher costs.
- A 3.8% increase in intermodal net revenues to $10.5 million.
- A 15.5% increase in ocean transportation net revenue to $57.3 million.
- A 13.1% increase in air transportation net revenues to $20.5 million.
- A 24.4% increase in customs net revenues to $11.1 million.
- A 18.5% increase in revenues associated with C.H. Robinson's other logistics services to $19 million.
One of the most impressive accomplishments of C.H. Robinson's Q3 report however was its earnings per share performance, which rose 23.2% to $0.85/share from $0.69/share in Q3 2013. According to CNBC, analysts had only expected earnings per share of $0.80/share from C.H. Robinson.
Congratulations on an excellent Q3, C.H. Robinson!
This video from the popular YouTube React channel pits kids against Brussels sprouts. Even though I love them now, I’m ashamed to admit that Brussels sprouts were my childhood nemesis.
How do you think these kids will react then? Will they have better taste than I did as a child? Watch the video below to find out:
ANAHEIM, CA - It was another successful event for the attendees and exhibitors at this year’s Fresh Summit in Anaheim, California. Wonderful Brands had much to share as the company showcased its full portfolio of ‘everything produce’ from new antioxidant teas to the nationwide launch of its Sweet Scarletts grapefruit.
I sat down with Jasmine Hodari, Vice President of Marketing, Paramount Farms and Paramount Citrus and Dahlia Reinkopf, Senior Director of Marketing, POM Wonderful at the 2014 show to discuss the company’s latest and greatest.
The company is gearing up to expand its footprint for Wonderful Sweet Scarletts, with the fall launch just around the corner in November. The flavorful red grapefruit variety and the newest addition to the Wonderful family, comes fresh from Texas where warm, sunny days and cool nights help the fruit to achieve its unique sweetness and quality.
“This year we are focusing on the flavor profile and versatility of Sweet Scarletts. Last year we initiated the program with a regional launch in select Midwest cities, including Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis in grocery, mass merchant and club stores. This year we are moving forward with a national launch with promotional volumes and marketing campaigns in both print and digital formats,” Jasmine tells me. The Sweet Scarletts are available in produce aisles from November through May.
Additionally, the company is moving into its second Wonderful Halos mandarin season. “The popularity and success of last year’s launch is allowing us to usher in the second season for Halo’s with fantastic new merchandising elements and marketing support. So, keep an eye out,” Jasmine notes.
The company is slated to spend a record $100 million over the first five years of the brand as part of an integrated consumer campaign. Available from November to April, the easy-to-eat and peel, palm-sized fruit has become a favorite among kids and adults alike.
In addition, POM Wonderful recently welcomed its nationwide launch of the company’s POM Antioxidant Super Teas with flavors that include Pomegranate Lemonade Tea, Pomegranate Sweet Tea, Pomegranate Honey Green Tea, and Pomegranate Peach Passion White Tea. The new line launched in store shelves in October, in 12 oz. sizes for $1.99 SRP.
“We took into consideration the consumer research and popularity of certain flavor trends and preferences when deciding on the profiles for our Antioxidant Super Teas. We have already had a strong positive response to the line and look forward to spreading the word on the product’s health benefits and great taste,” Dahlia tells me.
POM Wonderful is also returning to television with a “Crazy Healthy” TV campaign in October featuring four commercials that will help educate consumers on the antioxidant power of premium 100% Pomegranate Juice.
“The national campaign is designed to increase awareness of the fruit itself through its health benefits and antioxidant advantages. The concept behind the segments addresses the fruit’s attributes in a short, fun and visually entertaining way to capture the attention of our busy consumer base,” Dahlia notes.
Click here to check out our previous story and view the digital creations.
POM Wonderful also showcased the launch of its family-friendly 48 oz offering of Tropical Juice Blends in the same great flavors as the 12oz size of Tropical Juice Blends. As the growing trends in juice blends continue to grow, the company is addressing the needs of the larger household unit with the POM Hula, POM Mango and POM Coconut flavors in the larger size.
POM Hula offers pure POM, pineapple and organic apple juice while POM Mango’s combination of POM, mango and pear juice presents another tropical take. Rounding out third is POM Coconut’s blend of POM, coconut water and pineapple juice.
Congrats to Wonderful Brands, on a great PMA Fresh Summit event.
The following text was copied verbatim from a press release:
Winter Springs, FL – October 28, 2014 – At 92 percent water and chock full of nutrients, watermelon is a naturally hydrating food fit for the finish line. That’s the message National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB), along with its entourage of watermelon queens from National Watermelon Association (NWA) and mascot J. Slice, shared during the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) festivities in Washington, D.C., October 24-26 where it served a truckload of healthy watermelon to athletes and families.
“From watermelon queens decked out in crowns and sashes touring D.C. landmarks to hydration tips shared via social media and 10 tons of refreshing watermelon at the finish festival, watermelon made a showy appearance at the Marine Corps Marathon during the Board’s second year as a sponsor,” says Stephanie Barlow, NWPB director of PR and social media.
Starting with the three-day Health & Fitness Expo where runners picked up their registration packets, NWPB shared recipes and nutrition research showing why watermelon is nature-made for athletes – offering replenishing electrolytes, like potassium, and sore-muscle relief from the amino acid citrulline.
At Saturday's MCM Kids Run, nearly 3,600 D.C.-area youth ran one mile at the Pentagon parking lot. National Watermelon Queen Brandi Harrison and mascot J. Slice acted as official race starters for one wave of youth runners.
“The Kids Run fosters a healthy family lifestyle. To that end, NWPB is sponsoring five 'Jump with Jill' shows – a music-based health program – next spring for five local schools that had the most participation and won the ‘Healthy School Award,’” shares Barlow. During the event, watermelon queens met with families and handed out 1,200 pounds of fresh watermelon slices while distributing recipe cards, coloring sheetsand stickers. At the Mascot Games, J. Slice joined the Marine Corps’ bulldogs Miles and Molly and others to compete in the 100-yard dash.
Known as the “People’s Marathon” and the third largest marathon in the U.S., more than 30,000 athletes participated in the Marine Corps Marathon this year. On Sunday at the MCM Finish Festival in Rosslyn, Va., NWPB served 20,000 samples of refreshing watermelon to athletes and their supporters.
“At the end of a grueling race, watermelon not only puts smiles on people’s faces, it supplies needed fluids and restores important electrolytes and nutrients,” notes Barlow.
Don Hiller, NWA president and The Class Produce supplier, adds, “It’s very rewarding to supply finishers and veterans with watermelon at the end of a ‘job well done.’ We cut up 30 bins of product this year – and it was all gratefully accepted.”
Many runners consider watermelon the perfect post-race food. Several regional watermelon grower organizations have picked up on the opportunity to tout watermelon’s restorative, hydrating properties and sponsor local runs.
ANAHEIM, CA – The exhibitors of the PMA Fresh Summit Convention and Expo donated 217,667 pounds of produce after the event to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and Feeding America.
According to a new study, more than 277,000 people in Orange County, California need the help of Second Harvest and its community partners to feed themselves and their families. This generous donation will help many of them.
"Feeding America is extremely grateful to PMA’s exhibitors who have gone to great effort to provide this generous donation of fresh produce to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County,” said Bob Aiken CEO of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization.
Over the last 10 years, PMA exhibitors have donated more than 2.9 million pounds of fresh produce to communities across the country, according to a press release.
“PMA goes to great lengths every year to rescue, package and transport a considerable amount of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables to our member food banks, so that they can be distributed to low-income Americans, who are in need of food assistance. Feeding America will provide food to 46 million Americans this year, including 12 million children and 7 million seniors,” Aiken added.
The produce for this donation was collected from the convention center expo hall with the help of about 300 volunteers from Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, a chapter of Feeding America.
It is great to see donations like these. Thanks to all of the exhibitors who made this possible!
BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA - TOMRA Sorting Solutions and Prologis, Inc. have opened a new 12,600 square meter, BREEAM-certified, build-to-suit facility in Slovakia. According to a press release, the new facility has been fully customized to suit the unique needs of TOMRA's production and distribution business.
Ben Bannatyne, Managing Director of Prologis Central and Eastern Europe, Stefan Ranstrand, President and CEO of TOMRA, Dr. Volker Rehrmann, Executive Vice President and Head of TOMRA Sorting Solutions, Martin Hypký, TOMRA Sorting Solutions’ Local Manager and Operations Director Food, Senec Deputy Mayor Jarmila Répássyová and over 200 TOMRA personnel, city officials, media, employees and distinguished guests attended the grand opening ceremony in Prologis Park Bratislava.
“This industrial and logistics park, located in Senec, has a major influence on employment rates in our city, and we welcome every new addition, especially that of such a technically-advanced company, Norwegian TOMRA Systems ASA,” Répássyová shared. “Senec cares deeply about the creation of new jobs and work opportunities for all our people and TOMRA will bring many new job opportunities to the area. We are looking forward to our co-operation with TOMRA Sorting Solutions, and we anticipate that it will also bring sophisticated technologies and an advancement to the corporate culture in Senec.”
“This facility will become the main production center for TOMRA Sorting Solutions,” Bannatyne said. “In addition to its modern technology and flexible design tailored to TOMRA’s specific needs, it meets strict environmental standards and thus reflects our client’s philosophy and values.”
TOMRA stated that it has invested over than €10 million, approximately $12.74 million, into the construction of its new Class-A building. It will employ over 200 employees and act as an important distribution center for the recycling, mining and food sorting businesses, supplying Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.
“We are very proud of our new facility, which is equipped with the most modern technology and incorporates sustainable solutions such as LED lighting, which is in line with our company’s mission to lead the resource revolution,” said Hypky. “The €10 million investment not only provides us with a state-of-the-art production and distribution facility, it also provides much-improved work areas for our people as TOMRA recognizes its continued successes is down to the hard work and commitment from its employees.”
Prologis Park Bratislava is made up of 10 buildings totaling 234,000 square meters. Its placement 24 kilometers east of Bratislava’s city center, two kilometers from Senec and 16 kilometers from the international airport makes it ideally suited for domestic and international logistics operations.
The following text was copied verbatim from a press release:
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA, OCTOBER 27, 2014 – Chaucer Food Group, the United Kingdom-based producer of premium food ingredients whose clients include Kellogg’s, Heinz, Kraft, Nestle, Unilever and Starbucks, has entered into an agreement to invest in Crunchies, America’s leading freeze-dried fruit and vegetable brand. In related news, Simplepitch Ventures has made a separate investment in the rapidly-growing all-natural snack brand. Both investments are effective immediately.
Chaucer Foods’ new investment reflects the globally-respected company’s commitment to helping Crunchies maintain its category dominance and longstanding dedication to product innovation. At the same time, the new agreement helps Chaucer achieve its goal of expanding in the rapidly growing U.S. freeze-dried market – a burgeoning industry given consumers’ increasing appetite for family-friendly products that are healthy, affordable and convenient.
Signaling Chaucer’s desire to enhance but not alter the unique blend of management expertise and product appeal that has made Crunchies such a winning natural snack brand for nearly a decade, James Lacey will remain on board as President and CEO of Crunchies – a position he’s held since 2006, leading the company through its most significant period of expansion.
The award-winning Crunchies brand has experienced double-digit growth within the last year alone, and successfully taps into the ever-broadening universe of health-conscious consumers seeking nutritiously delicious alternatives to fattening, low-nutrition snacks for themselves and their children. Crunchies’ leadership position in U.S. sales of freeze-dried snacks was affirmed by Nielsen as recently as May 2014.
Beyond evolving into a must-have snack among consumers nationwide, Crunchies has established strong supplier and distributor relationships over the years, all of which will continue to be nurtured and expanded as a direct result of Chaucer’s and Simplepitch Ventures’ added resources. Today, Crunchies is sold throughout North America at retailers including Walmart, Costco and Whole Foods, a range that clearly showcases the brand’s crossover appeal among mainstream and health food shoppers alike.
Commented Andy Ducker, CEO of Chaucer Foods, “We’re delighted to announce our strategic investment in Crunchies, which illustrates Chaucer’s wider corporate strategy to become a truly global, market-leading specialist food ingredient and consumer products producer.
“We’re confident that with our operational expertise and investment, the already successful Crunchies brand will develop to its full potential in the U.S. and maximize its opportunities in the growing freeze-dried markets. In addition, the combination of the Crunchies and Chaucer companies will provide Chaucer with increased visibility and exposure to customers and suppliers in the North American market.”
Added James Lacey, “Chaucer as a global leader in its field and Simplepitch Ventures have the resources to enable us to deliver the highest quality products to our loyal retail customers and consumers, along with the capacity to meet the growing needs of our valued distribution partners. Most importantly, Chaucer and Simplepitch Ventures share my longstanding commitment to product quality and innovation, which will ensure that Crunchies stays true to its natural snacking origins while at the same time being able to expand as more and more consumers gravitate toward a healthy eating lifestyle.”
CORAL GABLES, FL – Fresh Del Monte released its Q3 financial report on Tuesday, October 28th, showcasing impressive company growth across the board. Perhaps the biggest highlight from the report was Fresh Del Monte's gross profit numbers, which rose 39% to $73.9 million in Q3 compared to $53 million during Q3 2013. Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fresh Del Monte, was understandably proud of his company's successes.
“We are pleased to report a strong third quarter,” he said. “Our performance was driven by higher sales volume in our banana and other fresh produce business segments and increased worldwide banana selling prices. We focused on maximizing sales to markets with the highest demand for Del Monte® branded products, benefiting from our logistics capabilities to quickly capitalize on market opportunities. As we look forward, we will adhere to our long-term strategic plan to further diversify our product line, expand our distribution channels and presence in new and existing markets, and increase value for our shareholders.”
Some other highlights from the report include:
- A 3% increase in net sales to $884.6 million, compared to $861.1 million from Q3 2013.
- An increase in operating income by $21.9 million to $29.3 million, compared to $7.4 million in the Q3 2013.
- An increase in net income by $13.5 million to $19.9 million, compared to $6.4 million in the Q3 2013.
According to a press release, much of these impressive gains were driven by the strength of Fresh Del Monte's banana business, which enjoyed increased sales volume, higher selling prices, and favorable exchange rates. The company's Q3 2014 net sales for bananas increased 5% to $423.8 million, during the same time that worldwide pricing increased 3% to $14.77/unit. Volume also increased 2% during this period.
The report also noted the strength of the company's pineapple operations, decreased ocean freight and distribution costs and ongoing operational efficiencies as reasons for its success.
As of 1:41 pm ET, Fresh Del Monte's stock is up $1.31 to $30.99, a 4.41% increase.
Congratulations on this excellent financial report, Fresh Del Monte!
BOULDER, CO - After announcing it’s first location in Florida, Lucky’s Market is planning to open multiple locations in the Sunshine State.
A company spokeswoman told the Tampa Bay Business Journal in an email, “Lucky’s Market does have aspirations for growing in Florida. Although it’s too early to name any additional markets besides Gainesville, we are actively looking for more expansion opportunities in Florida.”
Earlier this month, Lucky’s Market announced that Gainesville would be the home of its first location in Florida. The former Pic ‘n Save store, located just 1.5 miles north of the University of Florida, is 30,000 square feet and will anchor the Verde Plaza.
Following a non-traditional business model, Lucky’s Market takes a community-specific approach when opening new stores. “Generally our stores are a reflection of the community. So obviously there isn’t one way that a giant community eats,” Lucky’s Market CEO Bo Sharon told the Denver Business Journal.
When asked about pushing people to eat natural products, Bo added, “We try to transition folks from your conventional grocery store over to eating natural. We find putting some of the conventional products at the store and within the store help transition folks towards eating more natural foods. It takes the edge off.”
Lucky’s Market was recently featured in AndNowUKnow’s print magazine, The Snack. In that article, Peter Gialantzis, Lucky’s Vice President of Purchasing and former twelve-year Whole Foods Supply Chain and Product Management Executive, spoke to us about what makes the company so different.
“We’re looking to compete with the premium markets in terms of quality and merchandising, and to compete with conventional markets on price. We’re the best of both worlds,” he said, making a note of the fact that Lucky’s doesn’t have centralized purchasing and packaging. “Lucky’s is a young, local company. We aspire to grow decade-long partnerships and foster partnerships that are sustainable. We’ve grown quickly, and we will continue to grow quickly.”
As Lucky's continues to grow, it will be interesting to see what markets the retailer will enter next. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to track the expansion…
TAMPA, FL – With the number of cases of fresh produce shipped in IFCO RPCs exceeding 1 billion last year, tests have been conducted to monitor the level of microbial activity in RPCs and cardboard boxes.
The third-party tests were conducted on randomly selected samples at various packing operations between March and August of this year using industry-accepted testing methodology. The tests have shown significantly lower microbial activity on RPCs than cardboard boxes immediately prior to packing.
According to a press release, these results provide further evidence of the effectiveness of the IFCO wash process in producing clean, food safe containers.
The microbial activity can come from a variety of factors, many of which are tied to practices in grower operations, the press release states. Even with the elevated microbial counts often found on the cardboard boxes, there has never been a food safety incident traced back to any kind of transport packaging.
Even still, this microbial activity led IFCO, along with other RPC poolers, growers, retailers, both the U.S. and Canadian Produce Marketing Associations, and the United Fresh Produce Association to form a Food Safety Committee under the umbrella of the Reusable Packaging Association two years ago.
The purpose of this group, and others like it currently in development, is to provide the fresh produce supply chain with information to support the commitment to food safety and potential food safety risks.
IFCO regularly commissions microbial tests to inform the public on its efforts to improve food safety across the fresh produce supply chain.