TEXAS – Aldi has big plans for Texas. The grocer said that it wants as many as 450 stores across the Lone Star State, a 405% increase.
This expansion falls in line with Aldi’s December, 2013 5-year plans to open 650 new stores across the United States, including Southern California. This would bring the company’s total U.S. store count to 2,000 by 2018.
“Opportunities for us in Texas are substantial, and we want to continue to support our growth with more suppliers in Texas and all the neighboring states,” Hector Alejandro, Director of Regional Buying for Aldi Inc., told the Dallas Morning News (DMN).
To support this expansion, Aldi is holding a casting call of sorts for local suppliers. The grocer is holding a supplier engagement event on March 18 at the company’s Denton distribution center.
“We have received a great response for the event,” Alejandro said, adding that potential suppliers are scheduled to come from all major cities in Texas.
Aldi is looking for producers and growers of all sizes, with some companies only being able to supply in one or two states. Alejandro also told the DMN that every prospective supplier will meet with a buyer at the event next month.
Currently, Aldi operated 89 stores in Texas. It operates a large distribution center in Denton and has a second under construction near Houston, a 650,000-square-foot facility that will open early next year.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest on this retailer’s expansion plans.
CASTROVILLE, CA - Last year, Ocean Mist Farms released Kalettes™ as part of its 90th anniversary debut line of products, and now the company is shining the spotlight on this Mighty Mouse of superfoods while attending the Southeast Produce Council Expo this weekend.
Often referred to as bearing the best of both brussel sprouts and Kale, dropping the negatives of both, Ocean Mist is one of just six companies offering Kalettes™ and plans to add them to its award-winning line of Season and Steam vegetables later this year, according to a press release.
Heirloom artichokes and Season and Steam Brussels sprouts will also be available, so stop by booth 300 to sample vegetables that have already been well-recognized, as well as those up-and-coming.
The Southern Exposure event, themed “A Whole Lotta Produce Going On,” is embracing a 50’s and 60’s feel. The fun takes place later this week, February 26 - 28, in Orlando, FL.
DELAWARE – Dole Food Inc. CEO, David Murdock, was on trial yesterday defending his 2013 buyout and privatization of the company.
As we previously reported, Murdock, members of the Board of Directors, and Deutsche Bank AG, which helped to structure the deal, all sought to have the case thrown out but were not successful. Delaware Chancery Judge Travis Laster refused to dismiss the case and set the trial for February 23.
Reuters reports that the attorney for the shareholders, Stuart Grant, questioned Murdock for over five hours in a Delaware court yesterday to try to establish that he dominated the Dole board before he privatized the company and manipulated stock prices.
During the trial, Murdock told the judge that the deal, which featured a $13.50-a-share offer for the 60% of Dole he or his family didn’t already own, was structured in an “honest and honorable” manner, according to Bloomberg.
“We did a fair and honest transaction that is now being made to look like a dirty skunk did this and his name is Murdock,” he told Judge Travis Laster.
Murdock is currently facing investors’ claims over taking the world’s largest fresh fruit and vegetable producer private while buyout deals continue across the industry, like the recent acquisition of Chiquita by Cutrale/Safra for $14.50 a share.
Bloomberg reports that the case involves both class-action claims filed by some investors and a request by shareholders for an appraisal of the value of Dole’s stock before the deal.
For the class action, investors are asking for $11.70 a share more than the $13.50 the company offered, according to court filings.
Murdock could be required to pay hundreds of millions of dollars if it is proven that he manipulated the sales process to buy Dole for a discount.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to follow this trial.
CORONA, CA - Following the 3 millionth package of Good Life™ Organic Produce, Veg-Fresh has hired Anthony Innocenti and Ryan Galindo to further advance the organic segment. Since 2012, the Good Life™ brand has been Veg-Fresh Farms’ answer to the increasing demand for organically grown products.
Anthony Innocenti brings his more than 18 years of experience and a strong emphasis on organics to his new role as Veg-Fresh Farms’ Organic Category Manager. He will be responsible for identifying and expanding opportunities with newly formed grower partnerships in Mexico and California, according to a press release.
“I’m looking forward to bringing my passions for both organics and innovation to the Veg-Fresh team and to contributing to the continued expansion of the Good Life™ brand,” said Innocenti.
Ryan Galindo brings more than 12 years of experience and a strong background in retail to his new role as Veg-Fresh Farms’ Organic Category Specialist.
“I am excited to join a company with such a strong family dynamic and that is committed to fresh produce sustainability,” Galindo said.
"With the U.S. demand for organic foods expected to grow at around 14% annually for the next few years, we are establishing a team, grower relationships and processes that will enable us to continue to be the solution our customers turn to to help meet that demand,” said Veg-Fresh Farms General Partner, Randy Cancellieri.
Cancellieri continued that both new hires are excellent additions to the Veg-Fresh team and will play pivotal roles in both growth and the company’s new ventures.
VANCOUVER, B.C. - New Zealand’s pears are officially in play for the 2015 season. The country’s Honey Belles are in the water and on their way to Oppy, anticipated to arrive by the first week of March.
“It’s going to be a huge pear year for Oppy,” David Nelley, Executive Director of Oppy’s apple, pear and cherry categories, said in a press release. “We plan to sell greater volumes of Comice, Taylor’s Gold and Bosc than previous years, positioning us really well to build excitement around the pear category―a category that is sometimes overlooked.”
As for how the new arrivals fit in, according to Nelley, Honey Belles are a compact, healthy snack that are ideal for current consumer desires.
“Honey Belle is a terrific little pear,” Nelley said. “Green with an appealing red blush, it’s unique because of its crunchy texture and honey sweet flavor. Honey Belle delivers a sweet, juicy eating experience that kicks off our specialty pear season from New Zealand perfectly.”
While the company has been importing Honey Belles for four seasons now, the main market has been in Canada. But by focusing on “ready-to-eat” merchandising, as well as cutting-edge packaging that has been popular with Canadian retailers, Oppy is targeting parent consumers for a healthy, quick, yet sweet option for children.
“Small pears like Honey Belles fit the bill thanks to their small size, sweet flavor, and vitamin content,” Nelley said. “Retailers can promote them as an ideal addition to the lunchbox.”
These petite New Zealand pears will be available from March through May, with other pears from the country becoming available later in March and continuing into Summer. According to the release, Oppy will simultaneously be offering Bartlett, Bosc, D’Anjou, and Packham pears from both Chile and Argentina.
JACKSONVILLE, FL - JAXPORT’s Board of Directors has unanimously approved an expanded, long-term lease with Crowley Liner Services Inc. Under the agreement, Crowley will relocate its Puerto Rican service from its private terminal along Jacksonville’s harbor to JAXPORT’s Talleyrand Marine Terminal. Crowley will also expand its current leasehold in preparation for deployment of the company’s two new LNG-powered Commitment-Class ships.
“This agreement clearly reinforces our commitment to the Puerto Rican trade lane and our valued partners who serve the island — both critical components of our business for more than 50 years,” said JAXPORT CEO Brian Taylor. “In addition, by supporting the vision of a business like Crowley and ensuring they remain successful here in Jacksonville, we are fulfilling our larger mission to create private sector prosperity through the use of our public seaport properties.
The new lease agreement becomes effective on Jan. 1, 2017, for a term of 20 years, plus two 10-year mutual renewal options, and calls for Crowley’s current 12-acre Talleyrand leasehold to be expanded to 50 acres.
“Over the years, Crowley has enjoyed an excellent working relationship with JAXPORT and that continues here today with this exciting development for the authority and for Crowley,” said John Hourihan, Crowley Senior Vice President and General Manager, Puerto Rico services.
Hourihan continued that the transition to Commitment-Class ships will require terminal space to allow Crowley to perform both lift-on/lift-off (Lo/Lo) and roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro) cargo operations. He looks forward to the company's new, faster, and larger ships.
ORLANDO, FL - Darden announced that Interim CEO Gene Lee Jr. has been voted to permanently take up the post by the Board of Directors. The vote is to be put into effect immediately.
"On behalf of the Board, I want to say how excited we are to have Gene Lee as our CEO,” Jeffrey Smith, Darden’s Non-Executive Chairman, said in a press release. “After conducting a thorough search and reviewing numerous highly qualified candidates, it was clear that Gene was the best candidate and was the Board's unanimous choice.”
Lee brings over 30 years of restaurant experience to the position with a thorough knowledge of the company, having served as President of both the Company's Specialty Restaurant Group (SRG) and Chief Operating Officer of the Company. While at the point of the SRG, Lee helped the group grow from 60 to 175 restaurants while also delivering an annual sales growth of 17 percent. In turn, annual restaurant earnings grew upwards of 26 percent.
"As President and Chief Operating Officer, and then as Interim CEO of Darden, I fully appreciate the possibilities of an improved and reinvigorated Darden,” Lee said in the release. “I am incredibly excited to continue to work with the Board of Directors and to execute our common vision for Darden. I believe Darden has a fantastic future and look forward to continuing to work with Darden's talented employee base in our collective effort to return Darden to the pinnacle of full-service dining."
Now that the company has secured its CEO candidate, it will now turn its focus to finding an ideal candidate to succeed C. Bradford Richmond as Chief Financial Officer when he retires.
LEAMINGTON, ON – With the beginning of the Canadian greenhouse season on its way, Nature Fresh™ Farms is putting the final touches on its new brand packaging with the help of Sesame Workshop and PMA’s eat brighter!™ movement.
“We are very excited to take part in the ‘eat brighter!’ movement, it is an opportunity for Nature Fresh™ to assist in an industry-wide education initiative to help increase fruit & vegetable consumption,” said Ray Wowryk, Director of Business Development.
The company is using primary Sesame Street characters Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Elmo to transform all of its primary brand packaging to include the ‘eat brighter!’ brand and help increase awareness of the program in both the United States and Canada, according to a press release.
“In PMA’s initial program launch announcement, it was stated that the ‘eat brighter!’ tagline draws parallels between the characteristics of the Sesame Street brand and fresh produce – using adjectives like healthy, brilliant, alive – with a clear call-to-action that drives consumers toward a brighter, healthier future. We believe that increasing fresh consumption across all fruits & vegetables ensures a healthier future for everyone; we are getting behind this initiative 150%,” stated Wowryk.
Nature Fresh™ will be unveiling a variety of the company’s new ‘eat brighter!’ packaging at the upcoming SEPC’s Southern Exposure Conference & Tradeshow in Orlando, Florida, February 26-28 at the Caribe Royale Resort.
“Participating in the SEPC’s Southern Exposure event is a great opportunity for us to help kick off a new season and connect with key retail partners,” added Wowryk.
To see the new ‘eat brighter!’ packaging, make sure to visit the company at Booth #419 in the Grand Sierra Ballroom at Caribe Royale.
MORGAN HILL, CA - Sakata is doing its part this American Heart Month to promote the cardiovascular benefits of broccoli and how it helps fight heart disease.
As the leading cause of death for American adults, cardiovascular disease and heart health are forefront priorities in the industry, and Sakata wants to remind consumers that offense is the best defense.
Studies have shown that broccoli produces better blood flow, helps prevent damage when the heart is deprived of oxygen, as well as being a good source of Vitamins A, B6, C, and potassium.
“Sakata is proud to breed quality genetics for a laundry list of healthy fruits and vegetables, but there is one cardiovascular superfood for which they are most recognized – broccoli,” the company stated in a press release. The superfood is low in calories and sodium while being a strong source of nutrients for the heart and other organs as well.
The company provides over 20 different broccoli varieties, all helpful in being heart healthy as well as having been shown in studies to help improve vision, skin, and immune systems. Sakata emphasizes having seeds bred for easy harvest in most any climate, as well as the tools to aid growers.
Along with promoting healthy eating habits to combat heart disease, the company also made available several step to help spread knowledge on prevention including regular exercise, managing stress levels, and continuing to spread awareness.
JAPAN - Mater Fever is no longer restricted to Pixar fans, with more and more findings proving the health and benefits of tomato consumption. But for those who were not yet on the tomato wagon, the Japanese tomato-product manufacturer Kagome has provided you with a very good reason to hop on.
And you wear it as a backpack.
Sporting the first ever Tomatan, meet Shigenori Suzuki, who consumed seven medium-sized tomatoes as he ran the first leg of the Tokyo Marathon last weekend. And he didn’t use his hands to do it.
Tomatoes have proved to be a healthy source of potassium, which replenishes your electrolytes and helps to prevent cramping and ease soreness. So other runners may have been a little jealous as Suzuki passed with his stunning supply of fruit and no need to lose momentum by disrupting his arm-rhythm. He did, hopefully, do so in order to give a wave to anyone sporting a Smart Banana.
It doesn’t stop there either, oh no. Suzuki also ate 12 cherry tomatoes during the second leg of the marathon on Sunday via, you guessed it, Petit Tomaton! That’s right, this piggy-back bot comes with size options. And seeing as the 17.6 pound Tomaton was probably a bit heavy for the longer leg of the race, it’s understandable that he would decide to sport the smaller edition.
Unfortunately for Suzuki, the creation is purely promotional at this point. Hopefully he hasn't experienced any phantom limb after having to give the little bot back.