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LOS ANGELES, CA - Vision Produce Company has recently announced that it’s ready for the mango game. The company is now offering mangos for its latest program, “Ripe & Ready,” for the U.S. after seeing great success in Europe for the past 10 years. Seeing as Phoenix has already garnered a 60 percent increase in sales, I’d say Vision Produce is on the right track.
“Our initial results show that the consumer has an extraordinary eating experience, and this can be verified when our retailer reports that their sales have doubled,” commented Jesse Sepulveda, Mango Category Manager. “Our next opportunity for this program is foodservice, where we see huge potential for a consistently ripe product.”
When shopping, consumers sometimes have the misfortune of picking an unripe product, thus leading to a drop in repeat purchases. According to the press release, the Van Gogh Mangos are being ripened locally to guarantee freshness and provide the optimal eating experience for the customer, following the protocol established by the National Mango Board (NMB). Vision Produce hopes to achieve that “second chance” with consumers in its latest campaign.
“Mirroring the banana and avocado categories, mangos are the next item we feel can benefit immensely from a ripe and ready program,” continued Sepulveda.
With excellent quality and a sweetness to back it up, the premium mango delivers a memorable taste that will bring in sales and repeat customers. Keep reading ANUK for more updates as the seasons change.
SPRINGFIELD, IL - We love seeing fresh faces welcomed into the company fold of some of the industry's most leading-edge operations. And that is exactly the news we bring to you, as Brent Young joins Seven Seas as Manager of Sales in the Seven Seas Visalia, California, office.
“I am excited about the opportunity to join a premier citrus grower such as Seven Seas,” Young said of the new move. “The outstanding quality and service they provide to customers, coupled with their longstanding partnerships with growers, makes this a knockout company. I look forward to contributing to the continued expansion of the California citrus program.”
If you are looking to make waves in the citrus industry, Visalia is an ideal locale to be born and bred. Young was immersed in the heart of the citrus growing region in Visalia where his passion for our industry was planted. Young is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University and has built a 20-year career in the industry, according to a press release.
“We are excited about Brent joining our team. In an effort to support our growth initiatives, we feel Brent’s past experience, tenacity, and proven sales skills will be valuable assets as we embark towards an even stronger presence in the citrus industry,” Brent Scattini, Vice President of West Coast, shared while speaking about the contributions Young will bring to the California team. “With the right team in place, from the field to the sales desk, we can continue to provide our customer base, and future customers, with the product line, quality, and service they rely on from Seven Seas.”
Young brings a wealth of expertise and a proven track record in the grower/shipper segment that is enhanced by his knoweldge of implementing commodity and logistics solutions for domestic and international accounts.
Congrats to Brent Young and the entire Seven Seas team on the growing company and ever-evolving program!
NEW YORK CITY, NY - The Big Apple is known to be several rings of heated competition in the grocery sector. That competition seems to have pushed 85-plus-year-old Fairway Market into yet another sale, according to a Bloomberg report.
While the news source said the grocer has not yet replied to requests for comment, its sponsors have begun the formal process of seeking bidders just three years after it rose out of bankruptcy with new ownership and, shortly after, a new President and CEO.
Fairway’s sponsors include Brigade Capital Management LP and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., and the chain has already received interest from “potential strategic and financial buyers,” inside sources who asked not to be identified because the process isn’t public, shared with Bloomberg.
Still fresh in the minds of the industry is Fairway’s victorious climb out of its 2016 bankruptcy with a new strategy, leadership, and even plans for new stores. But the heavy competition continues in the New York market, and direct competition comes in the form of increasing delivery partnerships and continued growth from retailers like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.
For parties interested in the grocer that has been a part of the New York landscape since 1933, Fairway holds prime locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Its years in the area have created a loyal following of shoppers, and Bloomberg reports the stores still see long lines that can wind back into the store and aisles.
We will continue to report as this story develops further.
LOS ANGELES, CA - In a recent announcement, Kroger banner Food 4 Less appointed Nancy Lebold to the role of Vice President of Merchandising, effective September 23. Lebold succeeds Mike Servold, who has been promoted to Vice President of Operations of Kroger’s Atlanta division. Lebold will report directly to Food 4 Less President, Bryan Kaltenbach.
"I look forward to being part of such an incredible organization and team. Together we will execute our Restock Kroger strategy and position Food 4 Less/Foods Co for continued success in the future," commented Lebold.
Lebold brings 26 years of retail experience to the new role, including a variety of store, district, and corporate roles with WinCo Foods. She was named Vice President of General Merchandise at WinCo Foods in 2007, and was later promoted to Vice President of Procurement. Lebold was appointed to Senior Vice President of Operations in 2015, where she led many operational and performance improvements in new markets, along with several other impressive accomplishments.
"We are thrilled to have an operator of Nancy's caliber to lead our merchandising team," Kaltenbach said in a press release. "Nancy exemplifies the strategic vision, leadership, and execution skills needed for the position."
Lebold holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing from Oregon State University and a Food Industry Management Certificate from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business.
Congratulations to Lebold on her new executive role.
LEAMINGTON, ONTARIO - Quality produce grower NatureFresh Farms is bolstering its ranks from within, recently announcing new leadership positions. Cornelius Neufeld and Frank Neufeld have both worked in the greenhouse farming industry for over 20 years, and have now taken on more prominent management roles within the NatureFresh Farms and NatureFresh Farms Sales organizations to help both companies achieve their goals for business growth and expansion.
“I’m excited to work alongside the great people we have at both our Canadian and American farms,” Cornelius commented. “I wouldn’t want to do what I do with any other company—the team at NatureFresh Farms is truly unique and the opportunities for professional development here are endless. This new role will have its challenging moments, but challenges are what make our successes that much more rewarding.”
In 2011, Cornelius started with NatureFresh Farms as a Labor Manager, and in 2015 was offered the role of Operations Manager at the company’s brand-new 45-acre greenhouse facility in Delta, Ohio. After four years in that role, Cornelius has gained valuable insight and experience, and will now transition into the role of Operations Manager for all NatureFresh Farms facilities throughout Canada and the U.S.
Frank also began his career with NatureFresh Farms in 2011 as a Warehouse Manager. In 2016, he was appointed to Operations Manager for all of the company’s greenhouse facilities in Leamington, ON, which at the time totalled 130 acres, according to a press release. Recently, however, Frank has taken on the role of Sales Manager with NatureFresh Farms Sales.
“I plan to bring even greater structure to this young company that is quickly growing and full of potential,” Frank said. “Like my previous role allowed, I’m also looking forward to growing our Sales staff so that they can find greater professional success. This team is enthusiastic and eager to make NatureFresh Farms Sales one of the best produce marketers in the world—there is a lot to be excited about here.”
In their new roles, both Neufelds will focus on finding capable and experienced individuals to join the NatureFresh Farms and NatureFresh Farms Sales teams to take the companies to even greater heights.
Congratulations to Cornelius and Frank on their exciting new roles.
SALINAS, CA - Cauliflower has been the star of the veggie category as of late, incorporated in unconventional ways like rice or pizza crust. Green Giant™ Fresh, a leading innovator in fresh value-added vegetables, is utilizing its newly-released Cauliflower Crumbles® in its latest line of offerings. A week ago, the company introduced a convenient line of easy-to-prepare Veggie Bowls that include great-tasting flavors and hunger-crushing ingredients in each meal.
“Consumers are demanding more plant-based alternatives at every meal occasion and we’ve created a satisfyingly complete option that can be prepared within a few minutes,” said Riley Hathaway, Research and Development Manager. “Our new recipes reflect the time and taste testing we’ve invested to deliver a hearty and flavorful crunch in every bite.”
Built around the brand’s first-to-market Cauliflower Crumbles, the bowls also feature regionally-inspired sauces to create an authentic ready-to-go meal in minutes. According to a press release, Green Giant Veggie Bowls are available in the refrigerated produce section at grocers nationwide and sold at a suggested retail price of $3.99 per bowl.
All the Veggie Bowls are vegetarian and packaged in a microwave-safe container that now includes a fork. The line includes six crave-able and on-trend varieties:
- (NEW) Korean BBQ: featuring Cauliflower Crumbles, onion, carrots, celery, and broccoli in a sweet heat bulgogi sauce with crispy noodles
- (NEW) Harvest: featuring Cauliflower Crumbles, sweet potato, and celery in a tangy citrus-garlic sauce with dried cranberries, pepitas, and crumbled feta cheese
- Sante Fe Bowl (previously Rancheros): featuring Cauliflower Crumbles, sweet potato, and kale in a tomatillo lime sauce served with seasoned tortilla strips and sharp cheddar cheese
- Buddha Bowl: featuring Cauliflower Crumbles, sweet potato, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts in a creamy tahini sauce with dried chickpeas
- Burrito Bowl: featuring Cauliflower Crumbles in a sweet corn and zesty black bean salsa with seasoned tortilla strips and sharp cheddar cheese
- “Fried Rice” Bowl: featuring Cauliflower Crumbles, carrots, celery, onion, and broccoli in a sweet teriyaki sauce with garlic-ginger wonton strips
For years, Green Giant Fresh has been developing meal-ready products to help consumers eat healthier. These revamped Veggie Bowls join the brand’s existing line of Cauliflower Crumbles Chopped Vegetables, Vegetable Noodles, and more. Keep checking in with us at ANUK as we continue to cover the industry’s newest concepts.
LOUISVILLE, KY - Yum! Brands is embracing an upgrade in not only how it operates in the world of technology, but also in its rank of officers. The company behind KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell not only nabs Walmart’s CIO, Clay Johnson, as its newest Chief Digital and Technology Officer, but also promoted Gavin Felder as the newest Chief Strategy Officer and elected current COO, David Gibbs, as the new Chief Executive Officer.
“We believe Clay Johnson and Gavin Felder are the ideal executives to accelerate Yum! Brands’ growth through technology-centric strategies that advance the customer experience and ultimately deliver better economics and more value for our franchisees and shareholders,” said Gibbs, set to take office effective January 1, 2020. “Clay’s insights into developing connected digital commerce capabilities and integrated enterprise solutions will be invaluable as we strengthen our business model with technology at the forefront. Gavin is a successful digital leader and proven growth strategist at KFC, our largest and most profitable global brand division. I look forward to Gavin, Clay, and their teams collaborating to ensure our technology efforts support and are aligned with the technological innovation happening in our restaurants.”
According to the press release, the newly created leadership positions will partner with the global brand divisions to elevate the customer experience and accelerate global growth. Johnson will join the Yum! Brands Global Leadership Team and oversee the company’s global technology strategy, partnering with the restaurant divisions to ensure the company provides a best-in-class digital journey across mobile, online, delivery, and restaurant operations. As the chair of the Global Technology Leadership Team, Johnson will work closely with each global brand division technology chief, bringing in over 20 years of technology leadership across FORTUNE 50 companies and industries, successfully driving digital transformation initiatives into all aspects of business. His appointment is effective October 15, 2019.
“Technology is an enabler to unlock value for the business and the end customer,” said Johnson. “I’m thrilled to join Yum! Brands and look forward to collaborating with the KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell teams on leveraging omnichannel strategies, advanced analytics, and emerging technologies to benefit customers, employees, and franchisees.”
Felder will be responsible for developing Yum! Brands’ long-term corporate strategies and partnering with the global brand divisions to implement initiatives to unlock new sources of growth and disruptive innovation. He will work closely with Johnson to integrate technology-centric solutions across store operations, including the restaurant automation strategy, to elevate the customer and team member experience. Prior to being appointed, Felder has served as KFC Division CFO for the last five years, overseeing strategy, digital and technology, financial planning, supply chain, and IT security for the KFC business spanning over 23,000 restaurants across 135 countries. He will retain his current KFC Division CFO role, title, and responsibilities through the end of 2019 while the company conducts a search to identify a successor for the Division. His CSO appointment is effective December 1, 2019.
“Yum! Brands has a unique opportunity to leverage our global scale and build capabilities that transform both the customer and team member experience,” commented Felder. “There is so much growth ahead of us at Yum! and I couldn’t be more excited to partner with our brand teams and franchisees to find new, innovative ways to unlock this.”
Both Johnson and Felder will report to Yum! Brands Chief Financial Officer Chris Turner.
“Clay has the deep knowledge and skills needed to oversee a cross-brand effort to fast-track our digital commerce capabilities, unlock value from data and advanced analytics, and integrate cost-effective technology solutions to enhance restaurant operations and the customer experience. And Gavin’s outstanding strategic capabilities and global experience make him the perfect leader to help set our long-term strategies and drive collaboration across our brands to unlock innovation in our business model and operations,” said Turner. “This is an exciting time at Yum! because we have an incredible opportunity to leverage our massive scale and expand our digital and technology competencies in order to drive global same-store sales and net-new unit growth and improve franchise unit economics.”
As of now, there are no news on Yum! Brands COO search, but AndNowUKnow will keep you up-to-date on the latest flurry of developments.
SALINAS, CA - As technology and convenience continues to create a new reality for the world at large, produce companies across the supply chain have stepped up to help others navigate this new reality without losing any momentum. One company that’s doing so in a way that’s tailor-made to fit the needs of each of its customers is Fresh Avenue.
I chatted with Mark Vaughan, Managing Partner, and Brian Rooney, Director of Supply Chain and Operations, to find out all the strategies Fresh Avenue drives forward to give its customers a leg up, no matter what.
“We’ve recently expanded the breadth of our company and reach,” Mark began. “We’ve also launched a consolidation program, which means we’re bringing in products from a multitude of providers to our facility and then palletizing, packing, wrapping, and even shipping it if that’s what the customer needs. Our goal is to get our customers out of one dock, instead of multiple, in order to reduce wait times, administrative costs, rescheduling issues, and unpredictability.”
On top of all of those benefits, Fresh Avenue’s consolidated logistics program also offers its customers the chance to tap into smaller, seasonal, and specialty products. In the past, offering these items typically meant an extra pick or dock, but Fresh Avenue has streamlined this process. As a result, smaller, seasonal, and specialty products can remain competitive in the market and customers along the supply chain don’t have to go off the beaten path to include these items in their portfolios.
“From a customer stand-point, this adds value to their supply chain, provides a unique competitive advantage, all the while furthering Fresh Avenue as a supply chain partner. By bundling produce offerings from different regions, we open up the grower community to new channels, offering the customer the opportunity to increase their product offering, and enhance the freshness, shelf life, and inventory turns on their existing product offering," Brian said. “From a logistics stand-point, there are a lot of constraints happening in transportation at the moment, which makes buyers adverse to trying something new from a smaller producer. We make it convenient to explore smaller and innovative products for all involved.”
And like I mentioned before, Fresh Avenue works with its customers to tailor its services and products.
“We’re always coming up with new pack sizes that work well in a restaurant application. We want to get customized product into the market, and we try to leverage this as our key differentiator,” Mark continued. “We support our customers with a national sales team and work with distributors to troubleshoot and make product decisions. That was our original concept, and it will always be the heart of our business.”
For more fresh produce news from up and down the supply chain, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
WICHITA, KS; GREENSBORO, NC - Trader Joe’s has been steadily rising up the ranks of beloved retailers for years spurring further growth. 2019 has been a year of major expansion for Trader Joe’s, with the retailer opening up new stores in Little Rock, Arkansas; Miami Beach, Florida; Meridian, Idaho; Nashville, Tennessee; and Brookfield, Wisconsin. This expansion is just the tip of the retail iceberg, as the grocer has released further details about two new locations in Kansas and North Carolina.
Trader Joe’s had previously announced its plans for a new store in Wichita, Kansas, but did not reveal the new location’s opening date. However, Wichita residents now have something to look forward to on October 11, as the store will open its doors for the first time at 9 a.m. The Wichita store is located in a former Fresh Market location, marking Trader Joe’s as a serious competitor in the retail space.
The grocer was more reticent about its upcoming Greensboro, North Carolina store, offering few details on its website, save for its address at 3721 Battleground Ave.
“We've consulted our maps and compass and have found a terrific location for a store in Greensboro, NC,” the website stated.
When will the Greensboro store finally open? And what region will Trader Joe’s target next? AndNowUKnow will keep you posted.