TEWKSBURY, MA - The weeks following the firing of Market Basket's former CEO and President Arthur T. Demoulas have been ones filled with controversy. What the public debate has lacked however was any input from the very man it was being waged over, as Demoulas himself has remained largely silent since his release. That changed this week when Arthur T. Demoulas made his first public statement on the matter, prompted by the firing of 8 senior Market Basket employees who had been closely involved in organizing the protests and boycotts aimed at having him reinstated.
“This is the first time I have commented publicly on the recent events at Market Basket,” his statement read. “The success of Market Basket is the result of two things: a business model that works and the execution of it by a dedicated and impassioned team of associates. Their fierce loyalty to the company and its customers has always been deeply valued...I urge that they be reinstated in the best interest of the company and our customers.”
Steve Paulenka, a facilities and operations supervisor with 40 years of experience with Market Basket, was among those fired. Despite the loss of his job however, he remained resolute that he had done the right thing.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to do something because you know it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
Tom Trainor, another casualty of the recent firings, told reporters at Business Insider that this kind of loyalty is a natural result of Arthur T. Demoulas' character as a CEO and person.
"He takes care of people, he cares more about people than money, he walks among associates and customers," Trainor said. "He knows your name, your wife's name, your husband's name, what school your kids go to."
Some however just want life to return to how it used to be. Kara Wittens, a 51 year old resident of Boston and loyal Market Basket shopper, talked to the Boston Globe about how she didn't think she'd continue to make her weekly trip if the company couldn't keep its store stocked.
“Now I have to call up and ask, ‘Do you have produce?’ before I get in the car,” she said. “Ultimately, people are going to say, ‘There’s no food, so I’m not going to shop there.’ And they might not come back at all.”
“One side is waiting for the other to blink,” she went on. “Who’s going to blink?
Indeed, that's a question that more than a few would like to know the answer to.
For some context on this recent news story, check out our previous article on the Market Basket affair here.
CUTLER, CA - Amid concerns of the recent stonefruit recall, Wawona Packing spokesperson Amy Philpott is here to share laboratory results following the listeria discovery, and the company’s efforts to mitigate the situation.
Wawona Packing, a Cutler, California-based company, has voluntarily recalled certain lots of whole peaches (white and yellow), nectarines (white and yellow), plums, and pluots packed between June 1, 2014 through July 12, 2014 due to the potential of the products being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to a press release.
Currently, no illnesses have been reported and none are expected.
Wawona is taking every measure to maintain the highest standard of quality and food safety. The company is currently working with its retail and wholesale customers to remove affected fruit and ensure that it is disposed of correctly.
HAMMOND, IN - Wade Pruter is back on the buyside. Strack & Van Til is welcoming this industry veteran as the company’s new Director of Produce Operations. Wade brings 26 years of retail experience to his role, working his way from grocery bagger to his current position with the mid-west retailer. Wade has a strong background in merchandising, marketing, and building strong relationships, while also bringing a passion for organic produce to each of his roles.
“Strack & Van Til offers an authentic and unique shopping experience. I hope that in joining the company, I can help the team take organics to the next level while contributing my own spin and personal touch to procurement and merchandising,” Wade tells AndNowUKnow.
Wade comes to Strack & Van Til from Albert's Organics where he was the Business Manager for nearly 3 years in the greater Denver, Colorado area. Wade’s previous endeavors include Produce Director of Earth Fare, Produce Merchandiser and Category Manager for The Fresh Market. His wealth of experience is backed by a number of years spent at store level in the trenches learning the business.
“I have always felt at home in retail. With the great opportunities I’ve had so far in my career, I can now bring the perspectives and insight from both the supplyside and the buyside of the industry to my new role,” Wade notes.
Currently, Strack & Van Til has 38 stores in Northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland area. The company has three banners, Strack & Van Til Food Markets, Ultra Foods, and Town & Country Markets. All three banners are distinctly different but all bring a great shopping experience with the finest quality fresh departments and a vast variety in center store. The associates still wear ties and the Strack & Van Til stores have utility clerks that carry out your groceries, elements that speak to the neighborhood grocer atmosphere you feel when you shop in the stores. The company also prides itself on community involvement, where every member of the Executive team is involved in community outreach. Keep an eye out for one of the Midwest’s best kept secrets.
Please join me in congratulating Wade Pruter and the Strack & Van Til team!
SANTA MARIA, CA – With a great harvest under its belt and demand strong, Babe Farms is looking to expand. People are loving Babe Farms' wide range of specialty produce offerings and so far this summer both yields and quality have been excellent.
"At Babe Farms, we're all so excited about how well our season's gone so far,” Ande Manos, Marketing Director for Babe Farms, tells AndNowUKnow. “Yields are up and both retailers and consumers are loving our fresh produce. With volume rising compared to previous years, we feel that it's the right time to expand."
The visual appearance of the Babe Farms' line of produce is immediately striking and one of the major draws of its product line, alongside the great taste of course. Here are just a few of its offerings:
1) Romanesco Cauliflowers: A big hit with consumers because of the ornate fractal patterns the variety is famous for. These cauliflower are just a little bit nutty and go great in a variety of dishes.
2) Baby Cauliflowers: These golf ball sized treats come in purple, orange, green, and white. They make a great option for chefs looking to liven up their dishes with some color. When eaten at the peak of ripeness, they're tender with just the right amount of sweetness.
3) Baby Bunch Carrots: They come in Purple, Maroon, Yellow, White, Orange, Pink, and Round varieties. Each carrot is roughly 5 inches long with distinct flavor profiles and nutritional values for each variety.
4) Parsley Root: Aromatic and versatile, these old world root vegetables are roughly the size of a small carrot. Consumers often confuse these roots with parsnips because of their similar color and shape, but they have a distinct flavor profile similar to celeriac, parsley, and carrots. They're another big hit with chefs looking to add depth and aroma to their braises, stews, purees, soups or mashed potatoes.
Babe Farms is a year round grower which has been operating out of the Santa Maria Valley since 1986. It grows over 70 varieties of baby lettuces, specialty greens, root vegetables, baby squash, and baby cauliflower.
With such a wide ranging product line, it's not hard to see why Babe has enjoyed such great demand for its produce. Congratulations on an excellent summer Babe Farms!
MASON COUNTY, MI - A fire which broke out in Mason County last Friday threatened hundreds of lives and burned over 1,000 boxes used for hauling apples by the Indian Summer fruit processing plant. Luckily firefighters were on the scene quickly and were able to quickly contain the fire, preventing any further damage.
“I knew this was going to be a challenge and knew I had to get as much water on that fire as quickly as possible,” Fire Chief Joe Cooper said. “Once we were able to get a constant flow of water to Ludington’s aerial truck we were able to knock it down fairly quickly.”
While Cooper and his 50 firefighters worked quickly to put out the blaze, Indian Summer employees worked to reduce the fire load in the area by moving any unburnt crates out of the vicinity. Their act of bravery certainly won't be forgotten.
According Mason County Press, the effort called on personnel from the Riverton, Pere Marquette, Ludington, Hamlin, Scottville and Pentwater fire departments along with workers from the American Red Cross. At this time, the cause of the fire has not been identified, although Cooper did note that an active trash burning pile was found only about 30 feet from the destroyed boxes.
Thankfully, the situation was contained before it could spread or get any worse.
PHARR, TX – This lime shipment was taking the high road, but unfortunately so was U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
KETK News reports that officers with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations at the Pharr International Bridge seized $1,489,000 worth of marijuana that was discovered in a commercial shipment of fresh limes.
Now, when we heard that limes were going to be much higher than expected this summer, this is not what we had in mind.
The incident occurred after CBP officers encountered a white 1993 International tractor/trailer. The commercial manifest indicated that the fresh lime shipment had already been pre-targeted for inspection and required a secondary inspection, according to KETK.
“Our officers’ outstanding targeting techniques enabled them to zero-in on this shipment and produce the ultimate goal of detecting illicit contraband, which is one of our main priorities within CBP Field Operations,” said Efrain Solis Jr., Port Director, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas.
The team utilized a vehicle non-intrusive imaging system to discover packages of the hidden narcotics in the boxes of limes. 576 packages were seized with an approximate weight of 1,489 pounds.
The lime shipment made it through unscathed, but we’ve heard reports that they’ve made several stops for fast food and snacks along the way to their final destination.
MONTEREY, CA - With the PMA Foodservice Conference & Expo in Monterey just around the corner, AndNowUKnow has you covered for the greatest places to go and things to do in this beautiful beach destination. Whether you’re looking for indoor or outdoor fun, a taste of the nightlife or just a nice place to unwind, there is something for everyone. Check out our top 5 things to do in Monterey.
1) 17 Mile Drive, 17 Mile Dr Pacific Grove, CA 93950
This scenic drive boasts amazing views of the dramatic Pacific coastline and famous coastal landmarks like Spanish Bay, Cypress Point Lookout and Carmel Bay. While you're there, make sure to stop at The Lone Cypress, one of California’s best-known landmarks. The drive runs through Pacific Grove to Pebble Beach.
2) The Outdoor Terrace at The Inn at Spanish Bay, 2700 17 Mile Dr, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
For a truly memorable experience while visiting Monterey, check out the outdoor terrace at The Inn at Spanish Bay. Relax by the warm fire pits with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails while enjoying the signature sounds of the famous bagpiper that plays every evening as he follows the Scottish tradition of putting the golf course to sleep.
3) Sade’s Cocktails, Lincoln 3SE Ocean Ave, Carmel, CA 93921
For a fun night out, we highly recommend Sade’s Cocktails in Carmel. With no restaurant attached, this is Carmel’s only bar. What Sade’s lacks in square footage, it more than makes up for in good drinks and fun atmosphere. With a closing time of 2am, this bar is great for late night fun.
4) The Carmel Beach and Walkway, Ocean Ave and Scenic Rd, Carmel, CA 93921
The pristine white sandy beach at Carmel is a great place for a picnic, to fly a kite or catch the waves. While there, make sure to take a trip down the Scenic Road Walkway where you can walk between classic houses on one side and the beach and Carmel Bay on the other. There are plenty of benches along the way for you to relax and soak in the beautiful views.
5) Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940
Located right at the edge of the ocean, the Monterey Bay Aquarium offers a window to the marine world and is a great place to bring your family. While it is home to sharks, jellies, and thousands of other marine animals and plants, the southern sea otters, penguins, and giant octopuses garner the most attention. This Monterey staple is one you shouldn’t miss.
IDAHO FALLS, ID – Sunrain Varieties LLC has completed a series of capital improvements in its Idaho Falls facilities.
Sunrain added two new greenhouses plus a 25,000 cwt. storage unit. These additions will increase mini tuber production by nearly 40%, according to a press release.
The company also added additional office space and on-site testing equipment. Its existing on-site farm was also upgraded by adding a state of the art irrigation system to the 140-acre plot.
The Idaho Falls facility is the centerpiece of Sunrain’s nationwide trial program that now spans 12 different states. In the program, the team of field agronomists makes sure that it is bringing in the best product to market by growing its own tissue cultures, plantlets and mini tubers in highly controlled environments.
Sunrain will hold a new product showcase and open house at the new facility on August 13th, 2014. If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please contact Rainey Carraballo at (208) 552-3096 ext. 1007 or e-mail [email protected].
ESSEN, GERMANY - News of the death of Aldi co-founder Karl Albrecht has sent shockwaves through the retail industry, as industry leaders mourn the passing of the man who built his mother's corner grocery store into a 5,000 chain global powerhouse.
In its tribute to him, Bloomberg painted the picture of a humble man who valued his privacy as highly as he valued the quality of the product he served on his stores' shelves.
‘‘Karl Albrecht preferred to avoid public attention and rejected any honors awarded to him, always pointing toward the successes achieved by his employees,’’ said Sarah Twyman, an Aldi spokeswoman. “He had a strong belief that everyone should be able to consume high-quality food and beverages at the lowest possible prices. He devoted his life to making this belief a reality.”
Albrecht's rise to global prominence was a long one filled with many hurdles he had to overcome along the way. Always an entrepreneur, the New York Times notes how a young Albrecht would walk with his brother, Theo Albrecht, through the streets of his boyhood home in Essen, Germany's Schonnebeck neighborhood selling fresh buns to help his family. The two brothers were drafted into the German army during WWII during which time Karl was captured by Russian troops on the Eastern front and held as a POW till the end of the war. When he and his brother returned from the war, they found that their mother's store had been miraculously spared from the Allied bombing raids. Together they decided to reopen it for business, and the rest they say is history.
Those who knew him best reflected on how the Aldi chain of stores were a reflection of the man who built them: simple, consumer-focused, and always, always growing. Unlike traditional retailers which often offer as many as 45,000 unique products, Aldi locations focused on at most 2,000, all packaged and displayed so as to make it possible to offer as low a price point as possible.
“Our only consideration when we are working out a product’s price is how cheaply we can sell it,” Karl Albrecht famously said.
Albrecht leaves behind a son, daughter, loving family, and a retail empire which will continue to shape the course of the industry for years to come. He will be missed.
AndNowUKnow would like to offer its heartfelt condolences to the Albrecht family for their terrible loss.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - The Procacci Brothers Sales Corporation turned the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market into a classroom last Friday, giving 24 university students from Cameroon a tour of its facilities and an insider's perspective of its produce operation. These students got the opportunity to tour the fully-refrigerated wholesale produce terminal, seeing its state-of-the-art food storage facilities and supply chain operation first hand.
“Every day here at Procacci Brothers we look for ways to more efficiently deliver great tasting food products to our customers,” said Executive Vice President George Binck. “It was a wonderful opportunity to share some of those learnings with our guests from Cameroon. There’s really no better place than the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market to observe the forefront of innovation and quality control in the US Produce Industry. Every farming operation, let alone every country, faces different challenges, but we know that they’re going to take some of the information that we shared with them and do great things for their country.”
The tour was a part of an educational exchange program between Saint Joseph's University and Cameroon’s National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM. Because agriculture employs over 70% of Cameroon’s working population and accounts for 42% of the country's GDP, the Cameroonian government considers the education of their next generation of agricultural leaders a top priority.
“Upon successful completion of the study tour and course, the Cameroonian students will have earned four credits toward an Advanced Graduate Certificate,” describes Dr. Stephen Porth, Associate Dean of the Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph's University. “They will have the option to further their education at Saint Joseph's University by earning a Master’s of Business Administration.”
According to a press release, the 24 graduate students have a diverse educational background in fields such as as agriculture, law, accounting, economics, hospital administration and civil administration. As part of their educational program with Saint Joseph's they will be touring a variety of regionally located businesses over their 12-day stay in Philadelphia.