ORLANDO, FL - Monday proved to be a day of big news for Darden Restaurants, beginning with the finalization of the $2.1 billion sale of its Red Lobster franchise, and ending with the annoucement that longtime CEO Clarence Otis will be stepping down in the coming months.
The market reacted favorably to the release of this news, with Darden's stock rising $1.88 or 4.19% in after hours trading in the immediate wake of the news.
In a press release, Otis told investors, "I am proud to have been a part of Darden's significant growth and expansion, which has enabled us to reach new consumer segments and markets and create significant long-term shareholder value. With the Red Lobster sale complete and progress on our Olive Garden brand renaissance and other strategic priorities underway, this is the right time for me to step down."
Otis will be leaving Darden during a particularily tumultuous period in the company's history. The Red Lobster sale has drawn criticism from many investment analysts and most recently a lawsuit from the hedge fund Starboard Value. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Starboard Value has been among the most ardent critics of Darden's recent course of action, most recently claiming that Darden has been 'hiding' records related to the Red Lobster sale.
“Darden should not be allowed to hide information regarding a deal of this magnitude which has had such negative consequences for its shareholders,” read Starboard’s lawsuit.
Darden officials categorically deny these charges by Starboard, stating that "Darden has sought, through good-faith negotiations with Starboard, to address the issues raised by its demand, including the need to protect the confidentiality of Darden’s books and records. Though we have been unable to reach an agreement with Starboard thus far, we are open to continuing these discussions."
To learn more about the Darden's Red Lobster sale, check out ANUK's previous article on the topic here.
According to USA Today, Otis will remain with Darden through the end of December or until an appropriate successor is found, whichever comes first.
AndNowUKnow would like to wish Clarence the best as he embarks on this next phase in his professional life.
MCLEAN, VA – Gladstone Land Corporation continues adding to its diverse portfolio of farmland with the acquisition of 390 acres of farmland in the San Joaquin Valley and Oxnard, California for $12.7 million.
The newly acquired 322-acre farm in San Joaquin Valley is located in Arvin, California and was purchased for $5.8 million. Gladstone has assumed the in-place lease on this property, which will expire in October 2015. The company has also entered into a nine-year, follow-on-lease agreement with a new tenant, Underwood Ranches. Underwood Ranches is the exclusive grower of red jalapeño peppers for Sriracha hot sauce, according to a press release.
"We are privileged to partner with such an esteemed grower and add another large vegetable farm to our portfolio," said Bill Reiman, Managing Director for the Company. "This acquisition is our first in the southern San Joaquin Valley, an area known for its diverse agriculture. This region is home to many large agribusiness firms, and we are excited to become local landowners. There is tremendous growth potential for us in this region, and we look forward to many more opportunities. This farm has been farmed for many years and has a good water supply already in place."
For the Oxnard acquisition, the company has acquired 68 acres of strawberry farmland for $6.9 million. It signed a three-year lease that escalates annually with a major international grower, according to a press release. The property has water on site and has been farmed for row crop fruits and vegetables.
"We are very excited to add such a premium, high-value strawberry farm to our portfolio. Opportunities to acquire properties like this one are very rare, especially with such a large and reputable tenant that has been farming the ground for years. The value and income growth potential of this farm is unique in the industry, and we believe we will benefit from this acquisition for many years to come. This transaction falls in line with others that we have done with this tenant, a global leader in the berry business. This is another example of a strategic partnership working to achieve our respective goals," said Bill Reiman, Managing Director for the Company.
In a press release, Gladstone Chairman David Gladstone says that the company still has a large backlog of farms it is seeking to acquire and hopes to acquire more as the summer continues. Click on the following links to read our previous article on Gladstone land acquisitions in Florida and Watsonville, CA.
Gladstone Land invests in farmland located in major agricultural markets in the United States that it leases to corporate and independent farmers and currently owns 6,829 acres on 28 farms in 5 different states across the U.S.
WOODBRIDGE, ON - As we make our way into the second half of 2014, Rally Logistics, Inc. is expanding its footprint in the 3rd Party Logistics market. Headquartered in Toronto, the company recently evolved its operations by becoming an asset-based transporter.
Joe Rubini, Co-Founder and President, states, “Venturing into the world of assets seemed both a necessary and organic step. A growing number of clients had asked us to quote seasonal pricing; unfortunately, when dealing with equipment owned by other parties, different variables affect pricing, some of which are out of our control. As an asset-based carrier now with predominately fixed overhead costs, we can effectively give a fixed rate. It gives our clients one more reason to deal with us."
So what’s the plan for this evolving 3PL company? “The plan is to continue building and take this company to the next level with the leadership of my partner, John Corsetti, and myself. We’ve been very fortunate to have aligned ourselves with people in many parts of Canada and the United States. Whether it be opening other branch operations through hiring, partnering or acquiring, we are always looking outside of our own four walls to enhance and improve our business model."
Currently, Rally’s North American shipping reach extends from Newfoundland to British Columbia, from Florida to Southern California, and everything in between. Canada-to-Mexico routes have yet to be strategized, but the task is on the horizon.
“Transportation brokers are an integral part of any company that buys f.o.b. or sells delivered, even more so in the produce business. It is incredibly valuable to have a balance between both asset-based and third-party logistics providers handling your transportation requirements. See a need, fill a need,” Joe reflects.
Congratulations on the continuing growth for Rally Logistics!
SONOMA, CA – California Central Valley Growers are currently reporting strong growing conditions for pomegranates.
“A consistently warm summer has moved our traditional start date forward by about a week. We are seeing high color in the Granada’s, with a normal range of sizes. Our Foothills will follow by about a week,” said Ralph Melendez, Field Operations Manager for Slaydeco, Inc. Ralph predicts Slaydeco’s Granada’s to start shipping by the end of the last week of July, according to a press release.
Jeff Simonian of Simonian Fruit Company also sees that early season varieties are running a week early. In terms of how the drought might impact overall size and quality of the crop, he says, “It appears that sufficient water is being diverted from annual crops to ensure a normal pomegranate harvest in terms of total volume, range of fruit sizes, sugar and color.”
PomWonderful’s Tom Rouse says that the company’s Field Managers are also projecting an early start date. “If Mother Nature continues to cooperate, we’ll start shipping a full-range of Wonderful sizes starting in the last week of September or early in the first week of October. At that point we’ll also be refilling the pipeline with fresh-pack arils. We encourage retailers to contact us to find out more about our full-line of market-proven sales aids. Pomegranates are a high impulse purchase item and they sell best when merchandised in a high-traffic location in the store,” he added.
Tom Tjerandsen, the Manager of the Sonoma based Pomegranate Council, says that pomegranates continue to increase at an average of 20% per year, with total shipments expected to exceed six million 25 pound equivalent boxes, according to a press release.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for more updates as this season progresses.
The industry is mourning the loss of Timothy Wayne Warren, a well-known and respected salesman for Great West Produce Company. He passed away July 15th at the age of 55 in Corona, California as a result of heart complications.
Timothy will be remembered for being a kind, compassionate, and generous man who had a natural ability for befriending his clients and colleagues. His love, devotion, and passion were most evident in his commitment to his family, friends, and especially his three sons. Friends, both personal and professional, will greatly miss him.
He is survived by his parents Wayne and Elaine Warren, as well as his sons Jonathan, Ryan, and Logan Warren. He is also survived by his sister Cindy and brother-in-law Rob Trantow, along with several nieces and nephews.
Cindy and Rob Trantow will hold a memorial celebration for Timothy on Saturday, August 2nd, at their home, located at 4479 Cabot Drive, Corona, CA 92883. A short service will be held at 1:00pm followed by an open house until 4:00pm.
Timothy was devoted to assisting his son Logan with his college tuition. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to their memorial collage trust. You may make checks out to Fidelity Advisor 529 Plan (fbo Warren). Mail To: Attn: Mike Hughes/J.W. Cole Financial 29982 Ivy Glenn Drive, Ste. 204, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.
AndNowUKnow would like to offer its deepest condolences to Timothy’s family and friends.
PLEASANTON, CA - Safeway stockholders finally had the chance to vote on the company's proposed merger with Albertsons this past Friday at Safeway's 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The results were overwhelmingly in favor of the merger. According to a press release, 70% of the outstanding shares and 96% of the shares voted FOR the merger.
In addition, 96% approved a non-binding advisory proposal to approve the merger-related compensation for specified executive officers and 90% voted in favor of “adjournment of the Annual Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Annual Meeting to approve and adopt the Merger Agreement.”
Other issues voted on by stockholders at the meeting were:
- The Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation: 99% FOR
- GMO Labeling: 90% AGAINST
- Extended Producer Responsibility: 88% AGAINST
According to a press release, stockholders also elected the company's nine execetuive directiors and tapped Deloitte & Touche LLP to be Safeway's independent registered accounting firm for the 2014 fiscal year during the meeting.
BRAMPTON, ON - Loblaw reported strong sales numbers for its second quarter following the company’s recent acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart as well as a shift in its focus. In order to fend off increasing competition from other retailers like Wal-Mart and Sobeys, Loblaw is increasingly shifting its focus to smaller stores and bigger produce aisles. President and Executive Chairman Galen G. Weston called the quarter the next step in a “new chapter for Loblaw.”
“While the industry backdrop continues to be challenging, this quarter we advanced our business both financially and operationally, including delivering strong same-store sales growth, as well as solid operational performance...For the balance of the year, we expect to continue to improve our competitive positioning, advance our businesses and realize material synergies related to the transaction,” he said in Loblaw's financial report.
Two trends affecting the Canadian retailer market are an increasing concentration of customers living in crowded city centers and an appreciation for the informal, local experience smaller stores offer. Weston told The Globe and Mail, “We will be reducing the size of all our stores” in response to this changing market.
The increase in the size of produce aisles is also a reflection of this. Weston admitted to as much in a conference call to investors, saying that the consumer drive towards fresh produce was “a more sustained shift in consumer preference...they're just buying more fresh food.”
In response, Loblaw has increased the store space dedicated to fresh produce by as much as 10%, and according to spokesman Kevin Groh, its long term goal is to grow sales numbers for fresh foods at twice the rate of packaged varieties.
Fresh food sales have helped Loblaw sustain strong profit margins even as the cost of food prices rose over 2.9% over the previous June with carrots and onions alone increasing by 10% and 18% respectively, according to The Globe and Mail. Many retailers have been forced to bare the brunt of much of these costs as passing the entirety on to consumers is difficult. While this is still true with fresh produce, Claudia Schmidt, a senior research associate at the George Morris Agricultural Research Centre, noted that consumers aren't as price sensitive to fruits and vegetables. This means that by expanding fresh produce sections and pushing fruit and vegetables sales, Loblaw is converting a large portion of their total sales numbers into goods that are easier to adjust to reflect market prices.
In general, Loblaw's financial report carried good news. While they did post a net-loss of $456 million or $1.13 per share this quarter, according to the Edmonton Journal, much of these losses can be attributed to the one-time costs associated with Shoppers Drug Mart. Excluding these one-time costs reveals a profit of $201 million, or 75 cents per share. In comparison, analysts had only expected a profit of 67 cents per share.
Congratulations on the strong quarter Loblaw!
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The USDA has lifted PACA reparation sanctions on Deleon Produce Sales Inc.
The Fort Myers, Florida-based company may now continue operating in the produce industry after applying for and receiving a PACA license. Mary C. Deleon and Arnold A. Deleon were listed as the officers, directors, and/or major stockholders of the business and may now be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee, according to a press release.
On June 2014, the company was barred from operating in the produce industry for failure to pay a $17,136 award in favor of a Florida seller.
Once a reparation order is fully satisfied and it is confirmed that there are not any outstanding unpaid awards, USDA lifts the employment restrictions of the previously named, responsibly connected individuals.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 4,600 claims filed under PACA involving more than $87 million Individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without the approval of the USDA. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), PACA Division, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses operating subject to PACA.
CHINA – Mangosteen, the tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia, can protect against breast cancer, say researchers from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences’ (UCAS) College of Life Science.
The researchers discovered that the mangosteen’s pericarp, or the walls of a ripened fruit, contains a compound that triggers cell death in breast cancer cells, according to the Epoch Times.
This research studied the effects that a unique mangosteen xanthone, a unique organic compound in the fruit called alpha-mangostin, can have on breast cancer cells. The team from UCAS studied how alpha-mangostin affects fatty acid synthase (FAS). FAS overproduction has been commonly linked with breast cancer occurrences.
As published in the journal ‘Molecular Cancer,’ the authors wrote, “[Alpha-mangostin] could also reduce cell viability, induce apoptosis in human breast cancer cells, increase in the levels of the PARP cleavage product, and attenuate the balance between anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family.”
Translation: The researchers discovered that alpha-mangostin can inhibit the expression of FAS, which will decrease the level of fatty acid accumulation that is connected to breast cancer. Most importantly though, it was found to trigger cell death in human breast cancer cells.
The UCAS scientists say that these mangosteen xanthones could eventually become a viable treatment agent in breast cancer therapy, according to the Epoch Times. With it being relatively easy to source, mangosteen extract could also be used as a preventative food for avoiding breast cancer development.
This is definitely great news. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for more information on this subject as updates are made available.
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - From the woman who brought you classics like Keeping Up with the Kardashians, the 72-day marriage, and one insightful Twitter comment after another, comes the latest in the Kardashian line of innovations: the strawberry diet. The premise of this diet is actually rather simple: you eat strawberries and nothing but strawberries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Strawberry growers are probably lining up for the right to sponsor Kim's diet, and frankly, who could blame them? Talk about a marketing opportunity!
Kim's 22.3 million Twitter followers won't have to worry about this rigid sounding diet consuming her life. A source that spoke with The Sun told reporters that Kim will be taking a moderate approach to this lifestyle, leaving her plenty of time to focus on her other important responsibilities. The source said that she will still be indulging in healthy cheat meals throughout the week in order to make the change easier on her and her body. Reportedly, champagne dinners will be a fixture of this approach.
Surprisingly, Kim isn't the first celebrity to try this diet. According to the Channel 24 News, Victoria Beckham, the wife of famous soccer star David Beckham, tried out the diet back in 2004.
The wife of one of David Beckham's teammates commented that, "She just eats strawberries and turns away all the great breakfasts and salads everyone else tucks into. Most days she has only one meal and that is strawberries. Sometimes she just sits there drinking mineral water while we all tuck in. It's a bit strange."
Needless to say, that lifestyle didn't last long. We'll just have to wait and see how long Kim will be able to stick it out.
At least strawberries have plenty of Vitamin C so she'll never have to worry about getting scurvy in the mean time. As for me, I think I'll be sticking with my salads.