AUSTIN, TX - More has been revealed about H-E-B’s new Eastside Tech Hub, a first since its announcement of the project last fall.
Spanning 81,000 square feet and serving as the new headquarters for Favor Delivery, a wholly-owned subsidiary of H-E-B, this new tech hub will complement the retailer's existing Digital team in its San Antonio headquarters as it looks to become the “digital industry leader in Texas.”
“Having a shared space like this is crucial to both H-E-B Digital and Favor’s rapid growth,” said Jag Bath, H-E-B Chief Digital Officer and Favor Delivery CEO, in a company post. “The Eastside Tech Hub enables us to have a strong tech presence in both Austin and San Antonio, while fostering a better connection between our teams across the two cities.”
The two locations will collaborate so closely that the retailer will provide shuttle rides between Austin and San Antonio on Wi-Fi enabled buses throughout the work week.
The new tech hub will be a two-story, open office concept that offers a variety of dynamic work areas spread throughout the floor plan, including:
- open collaboration areas
- individual work spaces
- over 50 meeting rooms of varying sizes, equipped with advanced technology and video conferencing capabilities
- a coffee bar featuring local roasteries
- a lounge area
- a large events space
- a wellness center featuring a rock-climbing wall, curated fitness classes, bike parking, and showers
Outside of these offerings, H-E-B invested in both celebrating the unique identities of both entities as well as the heritage of Texas it holds dear.
To commemorate the opening of the Eastside Tech Hub, H-E-B and Favor said they will contribute $100,000 in charitable gifts to support hundreds of students in Austin and San Antonio via STEM-based summer camps and programs, such as Code2College in Central Texas, the Austin Prefreshman Engineering Program at Huston-Tillotson University, Video Game Camp at Austin Community College, and Youth Code Jam in San Antonio and Austin.
“As a digital retail leader, this dynamic workplace reflects our commitment to better serve our people and communities. Investing in our schools and children allows us to help build the next generation of technology innovators right here in Texas,” Bath said.
This commitment will be seen in the building’s design as well. Meeting rooms will be named after H-E-B brand products, famous personal assistants from popular culture—a nod to Favor’s Runners—and Texas landmarks and cities. Decorative accents, such as brick and tile sourced by D’Hanis Brick in San Antonio, handmade furniture from Marfa, and plants native to the Lone Star State, will be included.
To top it off, work by Texas-based makers and artists, including Will Bryant, R.F. Alvarez, and Cody Barber, will add finishing touches to the decor of the building.
Already hiring, H-E-B noted that while this latest addition will initially accommodate hundreds of Favor team members and H-E-B Digital Partners, it will also have room to grow as both entities continue to invest both in their growing teams and in driving digital innovation.
FISHERS, NY - The New York Apple Association (NYAA) Board of Directors is ramping up the second half of 2019 by electing officers and welcoming new members into its fold. Among these recent updates, Sarah Dressel Nikles of Dressel Farms in New Paltz is returning to the role of Board Chairwoman and Robert Brown III of Orchard Dale Fruit Farm in Waterport has been elected to return to the position of Vice Chair. In addition, Karla Bailey of KC Bailey Orchards in Williamson was elected Secretary and Treasurer.
The NYAA is also welcoming a few fresh faces into the association with four new board members who were elected earlier this spring.
Joining NYAA is Randy Hart of Hart Apple Farms of Peru, New York. As a third-generation apple grower with more than 20 years of industry experience, Hart brings a wealth of experience to his membership. Hart is the Co-Owner of Hart Apple Farms and grows apples on 250 acres for the fresh wholesale market. While active on the Board of Directors for the New York State Horticultural Society, he also serves on the Cornell Cooperative Extension Advisory Committee. Hart assumes the board seat held by NYAA board member Jay Toohill of Chazy Orchards in Chazy, New York (District 1) who served two three-year terms in office.
Also being welcomed to the board is Scott Seeberger of Windy Hill Orchard in Castleton, New York. Seeberger brings much industry knowledge as well as a fourth-generation farmer who grows apples on 158 acres for the fresh wholesale market. Seeberger brings 19 years of industry experience as a direct marketer and is the Owner of Northeastern Apple Sales. He also owns a u-pick apple orchard/farm market in Central New York where he markets apples and fresh-pressed cider. As a new member, Seeberger succeeds outgoing NYAA board member David Jones of G.W. Saulpaugh & Son in Germantown, N.Y. (District 2) who served two three- year terms in office.
Dominic Romero of Pavero Cold Storage in Highland, New York, also joins the organization’s fold. The fourth-generation apple grower from the Hudson Valley farms 800 acres of apples for the fresh wholesale market. As Orchard Manager for Pavero Cold Storage, Romero is responsible for every facet of the operation from land preparation, spray applications to all-around maintenance. Romero succeeds outgoing NYAA Board Member Kurt Borchert of Borchert Orchards in Marlboro (District 3) who served two three-year terms on the board, according to a press release.
Taking us home is Christopher Oakes of LynOaken Farms Inc. in Lyndonville, New York. Oakes is a fourth-generation apple grower who grows 250 acres of apples for the fresh wholesale market. Oakes dabbles in many new varieties as well as varieties used to produce their own brand of hard cider. He serves on the Board of Directors for Orleans Cornell Cooperative Extension. Oakes succeeds board member Jason Woodworth of Lamont Fruit Farm in Waterport (District 6) who served two three-year terms in office, including a two-year term as chairman.
Congrats to the new members and to the elected positions as well as we celebrate all that New York apples have to offer.
CALIFORNIA - Last year’s Mendocino Complex wildfires destroyed 459,123 acres of land, leaving Californians devastated and anxious about the next wildfire that could be waiting just around the bend. To address these concerns and safeguard against future destruction, California Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed creating a fund of up to $21 billion to offer compensation to wildfire victims, according to Reuters.
The fund is set to be created in conjunction with utilities companies, as a response to last year’s wildfire—the deadliest in the state’s history, which has been blamed on PG&E Corp. The utility company has since filed for bankruptcy following an anticipated $30 billion in liabilities, the news source reports. The proposed fund will be applied to situations in which a utility company is at fault for a wildfire due to a downed power line, for example. Half of the fund would be provided by a surcharge on electricity bills, while the other half would come from a new utility-funded insurance policy.
According to Reuters, to qualify for aid from the fund, utilities companies are required to spend $3 billion on wildfire safety measures. For companies that decline to join the fund, the state will create a $10.5 billion liquidity fund, supported by the extension of the electricity surcharge. The fund is intended to provide speedy compensation to wildfire victims—compensation that otherwise could take years to be distributed.
While many growing operations were able to avoid the recent fires, there are many people who have felt the effect personally or professionally. For anyone in our industry that has been affected by the CA wildfires or known someone who has, our hearts go out to you.
Will lawmakers and utilities companies move forward on the proposed fund, and will this fund prove enough to ameliorate the damage caused by whatever fires the future may hold? AndNowUKnow will report.
CARLISLE, PA - GIANT Food Stores has just announced the debut of PA Preferred® shelf tags, which will make it more convenient for customers to find products that have been grown or produced in Pennsylvania. This will be at all of its 156 stores located within the Commonwealth.
“GIANT is grateful for its deep connection to Pennsylvania’s farmers, growers, and suppliers, and for more than 95 years, we have been committed to sourcing locally-grown and produced products,” said Matt Simon, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “Our new PA Preferred shelf tags educate our customers and simplify their shopping experience, all while highlighting our unyielding passion for an industry that is, quite literally, the backbone of our business. We couldn’t be more excited to showcase these fantastic products in such a unique way.”
According to a press release, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined Simon at a press conference at the GIANT in Camp Hill to introduce the new tag program. GIANT has been a strong supporter of the innovative program since its inception in 2004, which helps the state’s farmers and food suppliers grow their businesses.
“While GIANT has served as a community cornerstone for decades, they’ve done a remarkable job of keeping their finger on the pulse of consumer trends, as evidenced by this new program,” said Redding. “It’s a win-win for consumers and the agriculture industry alike and will help shoppers better connect their food to the farm, helping to strengthen the relationship Pennsylvanians have with local producers.”
With 59,000 farm families serving as stewards of more than 7.7 million acres of farmland, Pennsylvania farmers and agribusinesses are the leading economic driver in the Commonwealth. The industry also raises revenue and supplies jobs through support services such as food processing, marketing, transportation, and farm equipment with $7.5 billion in cash receipts annually from production agriculture. Production agriculture and agribusiness contributes $135.7 billion annually to Pennsylvania’s economy in total.
As GIANT gets ready to celebrate the arrival of the local produce season in its stores and new tag program is set to move forward. GIANT will recognize the local farmers it does business with through a multi-faceted marketing campaign that includes in-store signage and displays, social and digital media, TV and radio advertising, billboards and the company’s very own in-store Savory magazine.
The campaign highlights the stories behind the farms and people responsible for bringing the products to nearly 180 GIANT and MARTIN’S Food Markets in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, from farm names to state identifier stickers and bright imagery showcasing the season’s harvest.
In addition to the introduction of the new tag program, GIANT Food Stores will also be opening its newest Quarryville store after entering into an agreement to acquire the location from Ferguson & Hassler last month. About 170 full and part-time associate from Ferguson & Hassler will be employed at the new location.
For more news on GIANT’s new tag program, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
OXNARD, CA - While the “all hail kale” crew—what I like to call the superfood enthusiasts who emerged a few years ago in great numbers—is far more reserved about their love for kale in mainstream channels these days, the category is still one that is ever-growing and expanding as a produce aisle staple. And to keep the category on top of all of consumers' wants, needs, and demands, Boskovich Farms is debuting a new Chopped Bagged Kale (with the stems removed for foodservice) ahead of the Organic Produce Summit (OPS).
“Our Chopped Bagged Kale product happened on accident really. Our customers started asking for it, and when they asked, I got to work. When I initially brought the first samples home and showed my wife, she said, ‘Why can't I buy this at the store?’ Then it clicked,” Darrell Beyer, Organic Sales Manager, told me. “For more of the restaurants and parents at home, it’s a very convenient pack that is ready to eat right out of the bag and has zero labor, actually. It’s just ready and, at the end of the day, it's just easy. It also continues our commitment to quality, quality, and quality.”
The new Chopped Bagged Salad product is available in a clear, vacuum-sealed bag, with the option to either blend all three kale varieties together or separately—all of which OPS attendees can sample while wandering the show floor!
“We have been coming to OPS since the first year, and it is one of the best shows of the season for us. The small intimate setting with booths all the same size is a great format,” Darrell continued. “Even though Boskovich is over a hundred years old, we continue to strive for the best quality and customer service—and if you stop by our booth we’d be happy to have a good conversation about just how we can do this for YOU!”
In addition to its new product, Boskovich Farms is also plowing away at its turmeric and ginger import certification, so keep an eye out for that, too!
It sounds like booth #801 needs to be the first one you swing by come July 10—in fact, the ANUK team will race you there!
ISSAQUAH, WA - Sun World Innovations has selected, among a small group of companies, Vanguard Direct (owned by Vanguard International) to market and sell its proprietary grape varieties in North America.
“We are thrilled to partner with Sun World Innovations to bring these great tasting grape varieties to market,” Craig Stauffer, CEO of Vanguard International, commented. “This is an exciting next step for our world-class grape growing program in Peru, where we look to grow, pack, market, and deliver to our customers around the world the highest quality and most flavorable grape varieties available.”
As we previously reported, Sun World announced in May that it wanted to direct its focus to genetics and breeding, with plans to choose ten companies to have licenses to distribute and market its varieties, including Vanguard Direct.
“With all these new varieties coming to market, freshness is hugely important, which makes our continued developments at our packing house in Peru crucial to our operation,” says Dirk Winkelmann, Business Development Officer for Vanguard International and President of Vanguard Direct. “The packing house gives us the capability to temperature control the grape reception area which means that the team gets the fruit out of the field and into a controlled environment quickly.”
According to a press release, Sun World grape varieties from Vanguard Direct’s production in Peru will include:
- AUTUMNCRISP®: offering an “unmatched eating experience” with jumbo green seedless berries, crisp-juicy texture, and a sweet flavor that has subtle hints of Muscat
- Adora: the “two-bite grape” boasting jumbo/giant-sized berries, as well as excellent firmness, color, and a sweet juicy flavor
- Midnight Beauty: extra-large elongated berries with firm texture and exceptionally sweet flavor
The Vanguard team noted that selling and marketing of the grapes grown at its ranches in Peru to North America is handled by Vanguard Direct, located in Bakersfield, California, and consisting of Vice President, Sales Gene Coughlin; Sales Manager Shawn Caldwell; and Sales Support Manager Denise Smith.
Proud to pronounce ‘We Own It,’ the company takes great pride in ownership of ranches and packing house. As this new chapter of its offerings kicks off, AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you up to date on the latest.
Vanguard Direct Vanguard International Sun World International
WENATCHEE, WA - It’s very difficult to resist an enormous box of cherries, especially if consumers are seeing them come off of Stemilt’s Ultimate Cherry Line. After adopting this high-tech packing line, Stemilt has been more flexible with its automated packaging options and has been able to increase its capacity for moving volume.
“We call it the Ultimate Cherry Line because it’s our largest and longest cherry line yet,” stated Brianna Shales, Communications Manager. “There are 32 lanes of optical sizing and sorting that will be able to push both dark-sweet and Rainier/Skylar Rae® cherries through so we can get more out the door in less time.”
According to a press release, other lines at Stemilt have the flexibility in handling dark-sweet and light varieties, but the Ultimate Cherry Line is capable of packing both cherry types at once.
“As the Ultimate Line reaches full capacity with 48 lanes in the near future, we will be able to pack dark-sweet and light varieties simultaneously on parallel lines,” stated Shales. “This gives us a tremendous amount of flexibility and unique position in the industry.”
This flexibility will allow Stemilt to not only run multiple varieties, but also pack various types of consumer packs. The line comes with three automated clam fillers to pack UPC scannable clamshells, as well as pack and seal—the up-and-coming top seal packages.
Another feature of the Ultimate Line is its ability to adjust the level of cushion it provides to different cherry varieties, which makes it especially important when handling light-hued varieties, which have a higher tendency to bruise. At the front of the line, Stemilt has added an automated dumper for light varieties.
“The automated dumper is incredibly efficient at taking lugs of cherries and gently getting them on the packing line,” said Shales. “It also brings lugs to sanitization, allowing for their quick return to the field to be used again in harvest.”
The Ultimate Cherry Line also has an in-line hydro-cooling that will ultimately push cherries out the door faster. While on packing lines, cherries tend to heat up, but the in-line hydro-cooling allows finished cherry packages to come off the line close to an ideal shipping temperature. This shortens and potentially eliminates the jet cooling process cherries go through prior to shipment.
Shales noted that the Ultimate Cherry Line has been in the works since spring of 2018. With the new addition of the Fresh Cube, Stemilt’s state-of-the-art distribution center, the company was able to capture existing space from its previous shipping facility to house the new cherry packing line.
“The Ultimate Cherry Line is all about getting the cherries from the field to the box quickly and with high attention to quality,” concluded Shales. “Cherries are very perishable fruits and we want retailers and consumers to benefit from getting them at maximum freshness. That’s how we fulfill our mission of delighting consumers with our World Famous Cherries.”
I for one can’t wait to get my hands on some of those cherries!
Keep checking back in with us at AndNowUKnow for the latest in fruit and veg.
COMMERCE, CA - Instead of stepping out, Smart & Final appears to be stepping back in—into the private sector that is. In April of 2019, Smart & Final entered a merger agreement with affiliates of Apollo Global Management, an agreement that saw the retailer’s shares acquired for $1.12 billion. Now, the retailer has transitioned back into the private sector, following last week’s announcement that First Street Merger Sub, an entity managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, has acquired all of the outstanding shares of Smart & Final’s common stock.
“As we turn the page to the next chapter in our almost 150-year history, we are excited to again work with Apollo to capitalize on our unique value proposition in this dynamic grocery marketplace,” said David Hirz, Smart & Final's President and Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to continued evolution in the Smart & Final and Smart Foodservice store banners, as we endeavor to provide the best shopping experience for our household and business customers across both in-store and digital sales channels.”
According to a press release, First Street Merger Sub made payment for the tendered shares on June 20, 2019. Following this payment, Smart & Final officially merged with the company and became a privately-held, indirct, wholly-owned subsidiary of the Apollo Funds.
As part of this latest move, Smart & Final’s common stock will no longer be traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
For more information on the transaction, click here to read the press release in its entirety. And to stay on top of breaking news like this, keep following AndNowUKnow.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - Texas retailer H-E-B is doubling down on growth and supporting its hand in the quickly growing grocery delivery sector, with plans in place to open a new fulfillment center at one of its stores in San Antonio.
According to mySA, the new center will be located at Bulverde Road and Loop 1604, and is designed to enhance its curbside pick-up and grocery delivery services. H-E-B has several such facilities throughout the state, including in San Antonio and Houston. Construction on the 51,131-square-foot facility is set to end in August.
The retailer has been expanding left and right this year, opening up more stores in the Lone Star State. This new addition to its existing facilities signals a dedication to keeping up with the growing competition among retailers in the online pick-up and delivery space.
Will this new center spark a facility-off among Texas retailers? AndNowUKnow will report.
LOS ANGELES, CA - sweetgreen has acquired Galley Foods in order to proceed with its healthy food expansion. The fast casual chain completed the acquisition for an undisclosed amount of cash and stock. This is the company's first-ever acquisition.
"We're both companies with D.C. roots, and we're like-minded in our mission and in our commitment to our customers to better understand them and meet them wherever they are," said Jonathan Neman, sweetgreen's Co-Founder and CEO. "It's with this mutual thinking, and Galley Foods' unparalleled insight into delivery, that we look forward to welcoming Alan and his team."
According to the company’s press release, sweetgreen will be able to use this new acquisition to its advantage with Galley Foods' knowledge of logistics technology, live courier operations, and high-volume production. Alan Clifford, current CEO of Galley Foods, is now the newly appointed VP of Logistics for sweetgreen.
"As a health-focused brand that was also homegrown in Washington, D.C., we've admired sweetgreen since its start," said Clifford. "It's a company that, since its inception, has paved the way for change in the restaurant industry and inspired other brands to challenge the way they think about connecting people to food."
Galley Foods will carry on with operating in and serving D.C. while leveraging sweetgreen's supply chain made up of regional growers, producers, and distributors as part of the terms of the acquisition.
Moreover, sweetgreen is also partnering with Dreaming Out Loud, a Washington, D.C.-based healthy food non-profit. Families who will be participating in the summer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) at The Kelly Miller Farm—an urban farm program at Kelly Miller Middle School providing fresh fruits and vegetables—will be offered prepared meals made with local ingredients from sweetgreen and Galley Foods.
Along with helpful tips to create dinner at home with produce from their CSA boxes, over 50 households will get family-style Galley meals next month.
For more news on sweetgreen’s acquisition and partnerships, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.