UNITED STATES - Is it just me or does it seem like Trader Joe’s is expanding, and at a more rapid pace than usual? The cult specialty grocer recently announced that it would be opening two new stores: one in Kansas and another in Florida. On top of that, the grocer also confirmed that it will in fact be moving forward with its first-ever Arkansas-based location, according to ABC7.
The RE Journals reported that Trader Joe’s did confirm it will be developing a store in Wichita, Kansas—news that was probably met with raucous cheers as Trader Joe’s was one of the most requested grocery stores by Wichita residents. An opening date has not yet been disclosed, but with most of Wichita claiming to be a Trader Beau, I’m sure locals won’t be out of the know for long.
According to the Miami Beach Times, Trader Joe’s second Miami Beach location will officially open its doors on Tuesday, August 27. The store was first announced in 2017, four years after the grocer debuted its first store in the area. However, the news source noted that Trader Joe’s is not the only specialty grocer laying claim to Miami Beach, with The Fresh Market, Publix, and Whole Foods Market all within range.
And, Trader Joe’s Arkansas debut is one step closer to welcoming the masses. ABC7 reported that plans for the new store were reviewed and approved, namely that of building alterations. This news comes weeks after Trader Joe’s decided on this particular location in the Natural State and months after the rumor mill first began to churn.
All in all, it truly is a Joe’s world, and the rest of us are just living in it!
To stay afloat amongst all the latest grocery retail news, keep clicking your way to ANUK.
WENATCHEE, WA - It’s that time of the year again where apple growers around the country are beginning to prep and harvest for the fall season. One apple that’s already in the harvesting stages is SweeTango®, which is grown in Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and Nova Scotia, Canada—with the Western regions already harvesting and the Eastern and Midwestern regions kicking off harvesting on September 1.
“Stemilt just started harvesting its share of the SweeTango apple crop in Washington State late last week,” said Brianna Shales, Stemilt Growers’ Communications Manager. “It’s looking like a beautiful crop with average sizing and great quality, and we look forward to start getting it to grocery stores shortly.”
In addition to Stemilt, other SweeTango apple growers are reporting that overall crop volume is shaping up to be higher than last year. According to a press release, this season’s fruit quality is exceptional so far, with minimal russeting. Rod Farrow, Co-Owner of New York-based Fish Creek Orchards, even went as far to describe this year’s SweeTango harvest as top notch, noting that this is the case thanks to ideal growing summer conditions that featured plenty of heat and moisture.
“We’ve had some good SweeTango crops over the past few seasons, but this one is turning out to be pretty special,” Farrow said.
Fellow New York grower, Mark Russell, Co-Owner of Two of Clubs Orchards, also confirmed that this year’s harvest will yield the larger sizes that shine at retail.
“The red color just started coming on, and my crew is rubbing their hands together waiting to get in there and start picking because, you know, that means we'll all be able to start eating them,” said Russell, explaining that harvest in Rochester will being in a matter of weeks. “But I will make them wait until that blow-you-away flavor kicks in.”
Reporting from the Midwest Region, Scott Swindeman, Owner of Applewood Fresh Growers, noted that while harvest this year for the region is kicking off a few days later than usual, “a great apple is worth waiting for.”
Jennifer Parkhill, Executive Director of the Next Big Thing grower cooperative, which managers the SweeTango apple variety, painted just as positive of a picture for the SweeTango crop on the sales side of things.
“The orchards have ripened well and the harvest is now underway. This early season apple is one of the most flavorful and stunning varieties. The new crop will be on retail shelves shortly, and consumers can look for large attractive fruit on display or smaller fruit for school lunches,” Parkhill said.
Once the SweeTango crop is harvested, the apples are then cooled to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is part of a conditioning process that locks in the apple’s sweet-tangy flavor and ensures the quality of the apple’s prized thin skin yields its delicious crunch. After this process is completed, the apples will be ready to ship, so retailers prepare yourself for a SweeTango autumn starting Labor Day!
To stay on top of the latest fresh produce news like this, keep popping back to AndNowUKnow.
CHICAGO, IL - Home Chef promoted former Vice President and Interim Head of Operations, Alice Thompson, to the Chief Operating Officer position. Previously with the meal kit delivery company, Thompson was responsible for leading logistics, customer support, operations excellence, food safety, and more.
“Since joining our team as an MBA intern, Alice has demonstrated an exceptional ability to evaluate large-scale initiatives, improve system efficiency, and ultimately, create a greater experience for our Home Chef customers,” said Pat Vihtelic, Founder and CEO. “Since our inception, simplicity has been our mantra, and Alice’s contributions have helped us deliver a delightful cooking experience to millions of e-commerce and retail shoppers nationwide."
British-born Thompson will use her global business expertise in her new role to scale the growing business with the key leadership team she helped develop, according to a press release. Moving forward, she will play a crucial role in managing the planned business growth as the company seeks to expand the size of its operations out of Home Chef’s new San Bernardino production facility, which was announced on July 31, this year.
“Building great teams is essential to our success, and clear communication between them will be vital as we add new products and ramp up our e-commerce and retail business channels,” Thompson commented. “We will also thoughtfully add more operational technology to ensure our processes scale effectively to manage demand without interrupting our current high levels of customer satisfaction.”
Thompson previously served as Global Systems Manager for London-based CRCC Asia Ltd., where she oversaw sales teams across the U.K., Australia, Italy, and the U.S. She also led cross-functional initiatives to improve the customer experience. In the new role, Thompson will use that global leadership experience to help Home Chef achieve its ambitious goals.
“It’s an exciting time to be at the forefront of technology and product innovation in the food industry and I could not be happier with my new role on the Home Chef leadership team,” Thompson continued.
With a Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Thompson is more than qualified for the new role, but she brings a well-rounded background to the position as well. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University College London (U.K.), and has visited 65 countries, including a year she spent volunteering in Latin America.
We at AndNowUKnow extend congratulations to Alice on her new promotion! Stick with us for the latest in the industry.
SEATTLE, WA - I’m assuming shoppers in Houston, Minneapolis, and Phoenix are frantically getting their grocery lists ready—only to stay home!—because AmazonFresh is coming to town! This week, Amazon announced that it is expanding its popular grocery service to the aforementioned metropolises, giving city residents with Prime memberships access to free two-hour delivery options on tens of thousands of products.
“We’re thrilled to introduce AmazonFresh to Prime members in Houston, Minneapolis, and Phoenix,” said Stephenie Landry, Vice President of AmazonFresh and Prime Now. “Prime members tell us they want their stuff even faster. We’re happy to deliver on that task and can’t wait for customers in Houston, Minneapolis and Phoenix to take advantage of one- and two-hour delivery from AmazonFresh.”
And, if shoppers have an extra roommate in the way of Alexa, they can simply say, “Alexa, order apples from Fresh,” and she’ll make sure only their favorite varieties (based on past purchases or top results) make their way to their carts.
According to a press release, Prime members can access AmazonFresh for $14.99 per month as an add-on to their Prime membership, which lets them choose from thousands of items across all grocery sectors, including fresh produce.
Recently, reports surfaced asserting that Walmart is at the top of the grocery delivery food chain, so Amazon's latest service expansion could very much be a solution to work its way back to that number one spot.
To keep up with all that Amazon throws at us on the weekly, stay right here with AndNowUKnow.
DALLAS, TX - The Association of Growers and Packers of Avocados From Mexico and Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (known as AFM) plans to open a restaurant in Dallas, Texas. It's a dream come true for all millennials.
The restaurant concept is a first for AFM, but the organization has teamed up in the past with On the Border for a summer pop-up.
The Dallas Business Journal states that AFM has about 30-40 recipes in the works for the new eatery, but plans on streamlining the offerings for the menu when the restaurant does open. Not to worry, there will be a plethora of guacamole offerings to assuage consumers from the mockamole trauma. AFM is doing its due diligence and ensuring that every dish (and cocktail) contains an element of avocado, even concocting some avocado ice cream of its own. I’m all down to try anything at least once, and Chopped has prepared me mentally enough to give (almost) any ice cream flavor a shot.
The finalized menu is still pending, so keep reading ANUK for the latest updates.
ELGIN, MN - When I think of the items that anchor fresh produce departments, my mind often goes directly to apples. This staple category is currently being evolved by innovators in flavor, quality, and variety. So, it only made sense to go to one of our friends, Honeybear Brands, to check on the state of the North American apple market for the company, and check in on how it is faring in terms of supply and demand as well as opportunities.
“Currently, the national outlook is both positive and challenging as we will have a record crop size this year. There will be opportunities and there will be hurdles. If as a grower/packer you have the right mix of varieties and have stayed current with the consumer trends, you are in good shape. If you are relying on the varieties of the past, then there will be significant hurdles,” Don Roper, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, shares with me. “We have some great new varieties and overall, we are extremely focused on improving the flavor profile of the apple category and consumers are helping drive this change. As expectations around the eating experience progress, we are seeing the transitioning out of the older varieties speeding up."
Overall, the apple category has been flat to down the past several years and this year will be no exception, Don adds. Our industry is being challenged with some of the biggest competition coming from other commodities including citrus, berries, and grapes.
“We clearly can answer this challenge and we have the tools—like new great tasting varieties—to enhance and grow market share. Changing consumer buying behavior is very difficult to execute, but when they have had a chance to experience some of these great new varieties, we quickly see conversion and adoption taking place,” Don shares.
On the flip side, the cost of production has gone up for Honeybear, but as it goes, that is the cost of doing business these days across the apple growing industry and ag industry in general.
“One of the great ways for us and retailers to address the transition to newer varieties is to introduce the consumer to the new varieties through education in the produce department, signage, and samplings and tastings,” Don tells me. “Consumers want it all—great taste and good value, year-round. Discriminating shoppers are willing to spend more for Honeycrisp, for example, than a bargain variety, but understanding pricing thresholds are key. Millennials, of course, are the ‘experience generation,’ and make purchases they expect will provide exceptional eating experiences. The discriminating shopper is also willing and likely to try new varieties. Our objective is to protect the stellar reputation the Honeycrisp and other varieties like Pazazz have earned based on incredible flavor. We work really hard to make sure we never put an inferior tasting piece of fruit in the box that could dilute a consumer experience. Once you do that, you lose the customer—perhaps forever on that variety.”
So, I ask Don what some of the high points of the season have been and he tells me that Honeybear is responding to the demand of its customer partners and has expanded production capabilities in Washington State by nearly 40 percent this year—and again, with the right mix of fruit. The company has also completed a transition of a significant amount of traditional orchards into organic as demand in the segment increases.
Some additional hallmarks of the past season include the success of the Pazazz apple.
“We are fortunate to have Pazazz, a great late-season apple. It delivers great flavor from November through August and has that exceptional crunch. We have customers describing it as a fruit Jolly Rancher, and it eats great through summer,” Don expresses. “The biggest hit of the summer—to be expected—has been our Chilean Honeycrisp. We had a banner crop from Chile this year and combined with a significant amount of this being organic, we were really able to provide our retail partners with a strong competitive advantage—fresh crop flavor Honeycrisp all summer long.”
As we look to the fall, Don shares with me that the company will have a bigger rollout on Pazazz in the coming year, in response to its great reception.
“Additionally, we will have big Honeycrisp crop along with other key varietals,” Don says. “We are also rolling out the First Kiss—in limited volume—in the Midwest here in the next couple of weeks.”
On the horizon, Honeybear has several new varieties in development. One it is particularly excited about is a butter yellow apple with an absolute sensational flavor profile. It has a tropical taste with a hit of nuttiness in it and has exceptional pressure. It is very clean, pretty, and most importantly—a flavorful apple, Don notes.
Now, Honeybear is in search of a name that captures this unique apple cultivar. Suggestions, anyone?
As Honeybear Brands looks to help retailers get a nice firm slice of sales in the apple category, the company will continue to keep its ear to the ground and take the pulse of the consumer experience.
Keep checking back with AndNowUKnow as we keep you up to date on this “core” category and more.
MONTEREY, CA - The Salad Bowl of the World did not disappoint at this year’s PMA Foodservice. With so many innovative new products coming out of Salinas, California, it’s no wonder that we needed to stop by Taylor Farms’ booth and experience the wonder for ourselves. Michelle Roberts, Mexico Sales Manager, clued me in on not one, but THREE new foodservice products the company was serving up.
“We’re showcasing three new items, a Savoy kale blend, chopped butter lettuce, and a baby Romaine,” she began. “With the baby Romaine, what we’re doing is we’re taking that baby Romaine to the next level. We’re washing it, and we’re putting it in a bag for multiple applications: for burgers, sandwich leaves, and also for that salad application.”
I love me a good piece of Romaine; it’s just so crunchy and delicious! And those consumers attending restaurants are always after the crunch and healthful characteristics that Romaine provides.
Michelle also went on to talk to me about the chopped butter lettuce and cauliflower pearls—an excellent starch replacement for those carb-conscious eaters.
“We’re bringing back the butter leaf, and it’s something that our customers have been asking for in some R&D right now,” she shared. “The cauliflower pearls are something we're really excited about, because it’s that starch replacement that chefs are looking for. It’s got multiple applications, anywhere from a pizza crust to a soup to a salad topper.”
Taylor Farms is always at the forefront of new ideas, so be sure to watch the exclusive interview above to learn more!
UNITED STATES - Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) is teaming up with ProfitTrax, a cloud-based augmented intelligence solution. With retailers in mind, AWG partnered with ProfitTrax to help all in the biz reduce operational shrink loss and out of stocks, while also improving gross margins.
“We are excited to partner with ProfitTrax to help our member retailers grow store profits by reducing the expense of shrink loss,” said Jeff Pedersen, EVP, Chief Sales and Support Officer for AWG. “ProfitTrax is more than just another data capture and reporting tool. It’s a true profit improvement solution for operations, merchandising, and loss prevention.”
According to a press release, ProfitTrax was developed to simplify operations and focus store teams and supervisors on the vital factors that result in profit optimization, namely by consolidating data from various data feeds around the store into an all-in-one solution and dynamic StoreWalk toolkit.
Pedersen continued: “This solution is another great example of AWG fulfilling our mission statement of providing our member-retailers all the tools, products, and services they need to compete favorably in all markets served. We are committed to making independent retail grocers successful.”
ProfitTrax is user-friendly, featuring a system that includes training to help retailers increase gross margins. Users at all levels of the enterprise are also alerted every day to sales and profit improvement opportunities. This is done by combining data analysis with human experience in the ProfitTrax Augmented Intelligence system, which then determines the operational and behavioral causes of sales and shrink loss and prescribes specific practices to improve sales and reduce shrink.
“We are very excited to partner with AWG to offer its retailers new ways to grow sales and reduce shrink,” said Larry Miller, President of ProfitTrax. “By simultaneously growing sales and focusing on consistent best practice execution, we have proven that stores can add significant profit to their bottom line.”
The ProfitTrax Solution reports analysis for the top selling items, top known loss items, out of stocks, missed sales, unique variety analysis, and cashier performance alerts for each store and department using the system. One chain that uses the system and has nothing but raving reviews is Ball’s Food Stores.
“We have seen excellent results by using the ProfitTrax system,” said Scott Bayne, VP of Sales and Merchandising at Ball’s Food Stores. “We have always had tons of data, but with ProfitTrax, our sales and grosses are up, and the ProfitTrax TEAM-UP process has our operations and merchandising teams working together to optimize inventory productivity, freshness, and profit.”
For more on budding produce partnerships, stay right here with AndNowUKnow.
BENTONVILLE, AR - A lot has risen in popularity within this past decade: Walmart, Tesla, and sustainable resources are just a few. However, recent news revealed that Walmart is not happy with Tesla nor its solar panels, which caused seven stores to catch fire since installation. Walmart has decided to take legal recourse and is sueing Tesla.
“This is a breach of contract action arising from years of gross negligence and failure to live up to industry standards by Tesla with respect to solar panels that Tesla designed, installed, and promised to operate and maintain safely on the roofs of hundreds of Walmart stores,” Walmart said in the court filing.
Due to these fires, a significant amount of store merchandise was destroyed and substantial repairs are needed, totaling in hundreds of thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket losses, according to a lawsuit filed in a New York court on Tuesday and cited in The Guardian. Walmart has tried to reach an amicable, yet firm, resolution, but states that Tesla responded unsatisfactorily. According to arsTechnica, there were sharp points, hotspots, improper grounding, cracks, and tape to cover those cracks.
The solar panels, first used in 2010 on around 240 stores, were constructed and installed by SolarCity, a company started by two of Elon Musk’s cousins but bought by Tesla in 2016. In concurrence with these recent fires is also a federal field investigation by the US National Transportation Safety Board after several Model X and Model S owners across the globe said their cars burst into flames.
Will Walmart pursue a different avenue in its mission toward sustainability? Keep reading ANUK as we deliver the latest in the industry.
IDAHO FALLS, ID - Consumer trends, though ever-changing and somewhat difficult to track, are essential to crafting a successful future for the grocery retail industry. Consumers are more interested in sustainability, but does that interest translate into a desire for less plastic in their produce packaging? A recent study by Category Partners (CP) sheds light on the issue.
“As retailers push more and more toward plastic packaging in the fresh departments, many consumers are on board,” Cara Ammon, Director of Research, commented. “Whether for convenience, value or food safety, many shoppers like this move toward plastic. But, it is also important to remember there are a significant number of shoppers out there who—whether for health, the environment, or they just need less of a given item—prefer their fresh foods to be bulk or packaged in some other material. It is important to give these shoppers options as well.”
According to the report, 29 percent of shoppers prefer to buy their fresh foods in plastic containers, be they bags, clamshells, or overwrap. However, the press release states that 23 percent of consumers say they avoid purchasing plastic-packaged produce whenever possible. The study polled 1,000 customers across the country, aged 21-65+, allowing CP to compare the acceptance and avoidance of plastic packaging across age, region, household income, and the presence of children in the home.
The response to plastic packaging varies across regions, the study claims, with shoppers in the South and Northeast more likely to prefer to buy their fresh foods in plastic containers, and western regions, while still having an overall preference towards plastic, are more likely than those in other regions to avoid plastic.
“Other factors such as availability of the product and regional differences in packaging may influence consumer preferences. For example, the Northeast has a significant percentage of shoppers both preferring (33 percent) and avoiding (20 percent) plastic packaging for their fresh seafood,” Ammon said.
The study also found:
- Shoppers aged 25-34: 34 percent prefer plastic packaging for produce
- Shoppers aged 65 and up: 31 percent are more likely to avoid plastic packaging for produce
- Shoppers earning $35,000-$100,000: 25 percent prefer plastic packaging for produce
- Shoppers earning more than $150,000: 32 percent avoid plastic packaging for produce
- Shoppers from two-person households: 24 percent avoid plastic packaging for produce
- Shoppers from five-person households: 36 percent prefer plastic packaging for produce
- Shoppers with children are more likely to prefer plastic packaging for produce
To read the full press release on the report, click here.
AndNowUKnow will keep you updated on more industry trends.