LOS ALAMITOS, CA – Frieda’s Specialty Produce is gearing up for back to school with produce that is ‘Very Cool for School.’
"As it turns out, children are very adventurous when it comes to trying new foods," said Karen Caplan, President and CEO of Frieda's. "They love to explore new fruits and vegetables out of curiosity, and we are lucky to partner with schools that nurture their interest and introduce them to specialty produce."
Frieda’s has found that items like Asian Pears, Jicama, Veggie Sweets, and Baby Apples are a big hit with kids. The company also supports the USDA Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program and has worked for many years to bring specialty items to schools, according to a press release.
"We are also honored to have many wholesale partners across the country who supply specialty produce to school programs and continue to support our mission to change the way America—in this case, young America—eats fruits and vegetables," continued Caplan.
Frieda’s program has introduced over 400,000 students across the U.S. to Rambutan, Edamame, Starfruit, Dragon Fruit, Blood Oranges and many more specialty fruits.
WASHINGTON D.C. - Fresh World One Inc., a Springfield, Virginia based company, has posted a $250,000 cash surety bond with the USDA to obtain a PACA license, allowing them to operate in the produce industry in the wake of their bankruptcy.
According to a press release, Fresh World One also paid a civil penalty to the amount of $37,500 for operating previously without a PACA license.
The USDA will hold the bond for three years in order to provide assurance to the industry that Fresh World One will be able to pay for the produce it purchases and that it will conduct business in accordance with PACA rules.
In the past three years, the USDA resolved approximately 4,600 claims filed under PACA involving more than $87 million. Any PACA licensee looking to employ someone who has previously failed to pay a reparation award, or has been subject to a USDA disciplinary action, must post a USDA-approved surety bond.
TEWKSBURY, MA - It seems that Arthur T. Demoulas is tired of the infighting and protests that have torn his family's business apart over the past month, and has now moved to end them with an offer to buy-out control of Market Basket from his cousin Arthur S. Demoulas' side of the family. Currently Arthur S. Demoulas' group has a 50.5% controlling interest in the Market Basket chain of stores. This allowed them to fire Arthur T. Demoulas, Market Basket's former President and CEO, earlier this summer, but if his bid is accepted, Demoulas would be back and this time with control over the company consolidated under his side of the family. At the present moment, this might be the best shot Market Basket has had at peaceful executive leadership in years.
Although the official amount of the offer has not been disclosed to the public, early statements from the Arthur T. Demoulas camp signal that it was a sizable one.
“We believe that our offer is a very full and fair one and should meet or exceed a seller’s expectations of the value of the company,” the Demoulas statement read. “We care deeply about Market Basket and all of our associates and we want to work together to return the company to its successful model for serving our loyal customers. Those who received the offer need to consider the matter, so we are not in a position to comment further at this time.”
For the protestors who have been picketing and marching on Arthur T. Demoulas' behalf since his ouster, this offer is a dream situation.
“This is what we had hoped all along — that he would try to buy out the other half and we’d be done with these people all together and then we’d get back to work,” said Tom Gordon, a grocery supervisor with Market Basket who was fired for his part in the protests.
Arthur T. Demoulas shared with the Boston Globe how deeply the turmoil surrounding his family's business, and the empty shelves and displeased customers which have come with it, has affected him.
“This company is my passion,” Demoulas told the Boston Globe. “It’s the life’s work of my dad and myself and a lot of other people."
Arthur S. Demoulas' side of the family has not released any indication on how seriously they are considering this offer, if at all. Something will have to do done one way or another however to bring back peace to Market Basket. At least now those depending on the chain have something to place their hopes on.
To read more about the controversies surrounding Market Basket check out our previous article on the topic here.
SALINAS, CA - D’Arrigo Brothers Co. of California is mixing it up in the office with the promotion of five of its employees plus the addition of a new member to the team.
Gabriela D’Arrigo has been promoted from Sales and Marketing to Marketing Manager. “It is a very exciting time for marketing in the industry and I am very grateful for the opportunity to make my mark at D’Arrigo and bring the company into the future,” Gabriela said. In this new position, she will continue to revamp the D’Arrigo website, enhance the quality of marketing materials for the company and increase the company’s social media activity, according to a press release.
Gabriella Besaw has been promoted from a Sales Assistant to a Sales Associate. “I am very excited about my new responsibilities and looking forward to my future with Andy Boy. I feel very blessed to work for such a great company,” Gabriella said. She is a newlywed and recent graduate of CSU Monterey Bay.
Matt Amaral has been promoted from a Sales Associate to Director of Business Development. Matt says, “I am excited to be part of a team that will look to strengthen the D’Arrigo Brand, by continually expanding the premier Andy Boy label, along with developing opportunities through our strong relationships in the industry, our expansive land base, and state-of-the-are facilities.”
Jon Scherpinski has been promoted from a Sales Associate to Director of Sales. “I am excited to guide the daily pricing strategies for the sales team and the Andy Boy product lines,” Jon said. In this new role, he will be responsible for the development and leadership of strategies that will enable the Andy Boy Brand to expand its presence nationally and internationally, according to a press release. He has been with the company for nine years.
Greg Heinz has been promoted from a Sales Associate to Director of Foodservice Sales. Greg said, “I am excited with the new opportunity of growing our Andy Boy brand as well as developing strategies to continue to be relevant in the foodservice marketplace.” Greg, an eight year D’Arrigo employee, will be developing and leading strategies that will expand the Andy Boy brand’s presence in the foodservice marketplace in his new role.
Ben Wilson has been hired as a new Sales Associate. “I feel lucky to be part of such a great team with beautiful product and amazing leadership. I really like the fact that D’Arrigo looks toward the future, striving to be the best now, and for many more years to come.” Prior to this position, Ben worked in the Coastline Produce sales office.
For the latest on D’Arrigo Brothers, check them out at booth #105 at the PMA Foodservice Conference & Expo.
Congratulations Gabriela, Gabriella, Matt, Jon, Greg and Ben!
McFARLAND, CA – Highway 99 is pegged to be the latest home to a summer promotion as Sunlight International announced plans that it will be taking its Pretty Lady brand grapes on a West Coast road tour. Starting in Fresno, CA, it will be traveling north through California into Sacramento, in order to promote its POS campaign and delicious new Green Emerald seedless grapes.
Sunlight International wants retailers and consumers to get excited about its summer grape offerings and thinks that this opportunity is the perfect way to get its brand name out there. The grapes are a great product and also come with unique full-graphic bins predesigned to complement the display-ready grape colander bags.
“Our bins make it easy for retailers to build impactful displays and drive consumer sales,” says Nick Dulcich, President of Sunlight International. “Promoting our brands and utilizing our own displays at events like the Fresno Food Expo and California State Fair is a fun way to interact with consumers and retailers and we are excited to show off our Pretty Lady For Summer in the Sacramento and Central Valley.”
In Fresno, Sunlight International will be running a booth at the Fresno Food Expo, juicing grapes on site for attendees to sample. By the next Saturday, it will be in Sacramento where Sunlight International will be participating in the California's Kitchen's ‘In the Raw exhibit’ at the California State Fair.
According to a press release, Sunlight International features varieties under the Pretty Lady for Summer brand during summer months, but since they offer their grapes from June through December they use Pretty Lady, Harvest Hobgoblin, Green Emerald, Pretty Lady for the Holiday, as well as other various brands the rest of the year.
ST. PAUL, MN – Although no direct link between Applebee's fresh produce and the recent E. coli outbreak has been conclusively proven, Applebee's is taking important steps to ensure the safety of its customers in the Minnesota region. Since the first episode was reported, 15 cases of E. coli have been identified, 12 of which can be traced to patrons who frequented an Applebee's between June 23rd and June 29th before becoming sick.
Applebee's decided to take a proactive approach, pulling green cabbage, shredded carrots, almonds, and the rice noodles as well as its Oriental Chicken Salad from menus in the region. According to the Monticello Times, only after consulting with Minnesota Department of Health officials did Applebee's decide to reintroduce these items to its menus late last week.
Applebee's says that it plans on cooperating fully with the investigation so as to ensure the health and safety of its customers for the future.
MONTEREY, CA - This Saturday, PMA Foodservice goers will have the opportunity to listen to an important discussion on marketing and social responsibility led by Steve Gill of Gills Onions and Dan Hermstad of Jacobs Farm. Together with Corinne Asturias from the research firm CEB Iconoculture, and Jane Frank from SCS Global Services, they will be discussing how businesses can best connect with a consumer base which is placing increasing importance on the environment and social responsibility.
“Consumers today want more information about how their products are made to make sure the practices of producers and brands align with their own values,” says Asturias. “Mentally they have moved from shareholder in a brand to stakeholder.”
Gills Onions is a shining star for these types of modern consumers, having developed the facilities to turn the waste products from their processing plant into electricity as far back as 2009.
“Gills Onions is committed to continuous process improvement in all areas of sustainability as we enter the second decade of the century,” Gill shares on Gill Onions' website. “Achieving zero waste, improving water conservation, and even developing effective nutraceuticals from onion waste are all achievable goals in the near term. We’re excited about our future.”
For his part, Dan Hermstad plans on sharing the philosophy and practices of Jacobs Farm, a grower which has been leading the way in social responsibility initiatives for the last 30 years.
“Fair trade certification, direct trade and all things related to social responsibility are the latest buzz and we think it’s important to share our story,” says Hermstad. “We’ve created 3 different farmer cooperatives in Baja California and multiple other farmer businesses to produce high quality, organic food that is safe for consumers as well as the people who grow it.”
The group will be giving their talk on Saturday, July 26th at the PMA Food Conference. According to a press release, the Conference will also feature other talks on a variety of subjects close to the industry, including global flavor trends, food safety and big data. Check out PMA's website for more information on this and other Conference events.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Roundy’s is officially exiting the Twin Cities market with the closure of its 9 remaining Rainbow stores.
Until this point, Roundy’s was still looking for buyers for these last remaining stores. However, James Hyland, a spokesman for Milwaukee-based Roundy's, confirmed Monday that "the last public shopping day for the nine stores not in the sales agreement will be tomorrow, July 22, 2014," according to the TwinCities.com Pioneer Press. Hyland added, "There were no buyers, so the stores are being closed."
This news comes after Roundy’s sold 18 Rainbow stores to a group of local grocery retailers, including Supervalu, in a $65 million deal in attempts to fully exit the Minneapolis/St. Paul market. To read more on this story, click here for our previous article.
Though no buyers have shown interest yet, supermarket analyst David Livingston believes that the closure could possibly lead to nonunion grocers looking into the properties, according to the Pioneer Press.
“They have union contracts, and if a nonunion operator wants to take time over, they need to be closed for a certain period of time to break the union contract,” said Livingston. “So maybe a nonunion operator is going to buy them, but they just can’t do it yet.”
Supervalu has already started its conversion of the 18 Rainbow stores that it acquired from Roundy's last May. 10 of the 18 locations are converting to Cub Food stores and two others into Byerly's. The final 6 locations will remain Rainbow stores. For more information on the conversion, check out our previous article by clicking here.
For now, we’ll have to wait and see if any buyers show interest in the properties. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for further updates.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Target is getting set to make company history on Sunday with the opening of its first ever TargetExpress.
The scaled-down store is in the University of Minnesota’s Dinkytown neighborhood. The Minnesota Daily reports that the new store is only 20,000 square-feet and will carry roughly one-fifth of what a normal Target stores does, including school supplies, groceries, household items, home décor, cosmetics, health and pharmacy items and a small electronics section.
“This is our backyard; it’s very close to headquarters,” said Karl Anderson, the Dinkytown store’s team leader.
Prices will be similar to local Target stores but comparatively priced to competitors in the campus area. Anderson adds that this TargetExpress store aims to relieve University students from a scarcity of grocery near campus by offering fresh produce, meat, deli, bakery, frozen foods and dry food items.
“The biggest thing we learned … is that students were telling us there’s nowhere to get fresh produce,” Anderson said. “Dinkytown is sort of a desert for that.”
About 85% of the store staff is made up of college students.
For a look back at the conception of this new TargetExpress, check out our previous article by clicking here.
With Target joining other retailers in small format stores, which retailer might be next? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue following this trend.
ALMA, GA – Naturipe Farms LLC, a partnership between MBG Marketing, Hortifrut SA, Naturipe Berry Growers and Munger Farms, has opened the largest berry processing facility in the Southeastern United States in Alma, Georgia.
“The Alma Facility will enhance our ability to quickly process berries for our growers in Georgia and Florida and will serve as a back-up facility to our growers in our other regions,” said Larry Ensfield, COO of MBG Marketing.
“This new facility is over 73,000 square feet, with a capacity of 18,000 pounds per hour, making it the largest blueberry IQF facility in the Southeast USA. We are using the latest technologies to sort, wash and then freeze the berries in a state-of-the-art IQF tunnel. Here, the berries are individually frozen to -10°F in less than 6 minutes to preserve the flavor, nutrients, color and integrity of the blueberries. Additional inspections and sorting takes place before they are packed into bulk containers for foodservice and ingredient buyers or poly bags for retail consumers packs.”
This new facility also contains a large fresh blueberry distribution center to service the Naturipe Farms customer base across North America, according to a press release. The current capacity of the facility is for more than 10 million pounds of fresh berries with room to expand.
MBG Marketing held a grand opening ceremony for the new facility. Over 250 people attended with grower-members, business and community leaders, and local and state dignitaries including Peggy Murphy, Mayor of Alma and Georgia State House Representative Chad Nimmer, according to a press release. Bob Hawk, MBG President and CEO, proudly said at the event, "From the start of MBG on November 2, 1936 to today ... We have come a long way!"
Don Wade, a retired grower-member who was one of a small number of growers in the initial co-op meeting in 1983, spoke at the grand opening as well and said, “we started with just a couple of acres and now there are over 22,000 acres of blueberries planted in the state.”
The expansion of MBG’s fresh and value-added processing capabilities will continue to enable Naturipe Farms to help satisfy the needs of a growing market, demanding buyers, and improve returns for their growers.
Congratulations on the new facility!