FOWLER, CA - There’s no denying that citrus is a powerhouse category in the produce aisle, with shoppers creating a demand for the fruits year-round. Bee Sweet Citrus has taken steps to ensure that no retailer or consumer has to go without the sweet-tart treats at any time of year. While the grower is still supplying domestic citrus varieties, its imported products are beginning to trickle in, preventing any gaps in supply.
"Our goal is to make sure that our customers always have access to different citrus varieties," Citrus Sales Representative, Joe Berberian, said. "Our domestic product can help consumers kick-off the summer season and our imported product will be there to help fuel them over the next few months."
Bee Sweet Citrus satisfies consumer demand for citrus fruits with lemons, oranges, and mandarins provided throughout the year. The company has most recently been working with Chilean citrus growers to ensure that there is an easy transition of product into the summer season. California’s citrus season may be coming to a close, but Bee Sweet will continue to receive imported Navel oranges, Cara Cara navels, lemons, and Clementines well into summer, according to a press release.
"While our imported product has already begun to make an appearance, our team still has domestic Navels, lemons, and grapefruit available for our consumers," Berberian continues. "This last bit of product guarantees that our customers will continue to have access to several different varieties while we transition into selling our off-shore product."
Citrus fruit should feel right at home in the warm summer months, and Bee Sweet’s domestic citrus has something for everyone, including a high vitamin C content and unique culinary potential.
"While there's no denying that citrus makes a great snack, our varieties have the potential to really amplify the flavors of the season," said Citrus Director of Communications, Monique Bienvenue. "Navel oranges are excellent ingredients for summer salads, and our grapefruit complements numerous cocktail recipes. And if you're planning to host a party this season, our lemons are great to use on the grill and are essential for other party staples like salsa, guacamole, and iced beverages."
Will the citrus category continue to draw high demand? AndNowUKnow will deliver the updates.
CHICAGO, IL - The memories I bring home with me from shows like United Fresh are always one of my favorite parts of the trade show experience. If it was possible, I’m sure Fox Packaging would have a perfectly sustainable pouch bag for me to collect these memories in to carry home in my luggage—a pouch very similar to the company’s new packaging debuts that caught everyone’s attention at last week’s show.
I tapped Jeff Reger, Product Manger, on the show floor to learn more about the latest coming from Fox Packaging.
“Today, we released our low-density polyethylene with eco-starch resin as well as our high density-based polyethylene pouch offering,” Jeff began. “We’re able to take our proprietary stand-up combo and convert a small portion of it over to an eco-starch-based resin. We’ve also taken in a high density-based polyethylene that increases the rigidity and increases the stand-up capability. As far as the rigidity of the plastic, we were trying to take some of the focus for fossil-fuel-based polymers and turn it into a drive for some eco-starch.”
Fox Packaging is also examining different sustainable resins and developing the compatibility of these resins with its already existent lines. Jeff explained that the company currently implements this strategy with some of its other packaging innovations, and it's proving successful.
“We’ve just released this into our stand-up pouch, and we’ve already seen a pretty large following for it today. With the advent of this new product, we’re recyclable, reusable, and we’re available right now,” Jeff concluded.
Curious to hear more from Jeff on Fox Packaging’s new offerings? Check out our exclusive video interview above for more information.
LOS ALAMITOS, CA - In an effort to make it easier to find the company's products in stores, Frieda’s has relaunched its website so shoppers can know what is in season! One of the most inventive features is the new product locator tool that helps shoppers find where to buy Frieda’s products anywhere in the U.S.
“Recipes are the pride and joy of our site, including our new video series that makes innovative new dishes super easy for consumers,” said Cindy Sherman, Director of Marketing and Innovation at Frieda’s. “Our carefully selected recipes featuring specific Frieda’s products are a great way to bring next-level excitement and enjoyment to any table.”
According to a press release, to help inspire shoppers to try the best of the season, the new website curates a selection of seasonally up-to-date items in the “trending now” section along with a refreshed collection of recipes. The recipes can be easily printed or shared on social media directly from the website with attention-getting photos and easy to follow instructions.
“We are thrilled to partner with Frieda's. As one of the leading purveyors of specialty produce, Frieda's has cultivated a devoted following of consumers eager to find their must-have products,” said David Navama, CEO of Destini. “With Destini's Product Locator technology, consumers can now discover the exact location of their favorite Frieda's products with a single click, and Frieda's internal team can capture important insights on regional product demand. The Destini team is proud to be part of Frieda’s continued dedication to inspiring new food experiences.”
Shoppers can explore almost 300 top specialty fruit, vegetables, and packaged products with up-to-date information from how to use to where they are grown, and the how to select or one-click navigation lets consumers easily find our top 20 items.
For more news on Frieda’s new website, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - CEOs from across the nation duked it out (figuratively) for Glassdoor’s Top CEO list for 2019, and H-E-B’s Chairman and CEO, Charles Butt, was ranked second out of 100. The rankings were based entirely on anonymous employee feedback, and Charles Butt received a whooping 99 percent approval rating—clearly a tremendous accomplishment.
Taking on competing retailers, Charles Butt beat out the likes of Costco, whose CEO, Craig Jelinek, placed at 42 with a 95 percent approval rating, and Trader Joe’s, whose CEO, Dan Bane, placed at 93, with a 91 percent approval rating. His appointment to the number two spot is an improvement on last year's list, where he was ranked number seven.
Charles Butt’s high approval rating might be due, in part, to his success leading H-E-B to world-class store status with one of the most successful private label programs in the country and state-of-the-art digital products and services, according to a press release. Charles Butt, who succeeded his father as company President, has helped build H-E-B into a retail powerhouse, operating more than 400 stores with annual sales over $26 billion.
To view the entire list of Glassdoor’s Top CEOs of 2019, click here.
Will these rankings spark further competition between retailers, as CEOs jockey for position? AndNowUKnow will share the deets.
TAMPA, FL - If Publix had one of those maps with pins on it representing its retail presence across the country, I bet Florida would be absolutely covered in pins on pins on pins. And only more so now that it has taken over a former Winn Dixie store site in Tampa, Florida, located a mile away from another Publix location.
According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, Publix will utilize 48,848 square feet of the 66,800 square feet at the 4315 W. Gandy Blvd location. The news source noted that the retailer is also trying to build a drive-thru Publix pharmacy window for the site.
But Publix isn’t the only big-name retailer on the block, with Walmart and Target both situated between Publix’s two locations on West Gandy Boulevard. That’s not to say Publix is outnumbered, however, as the grocer is also working on another new store five miles away in a former Sports Authority location, which is expected to open early 2020.
As Publix continues to flex in its home turf, will all the brick-and-mortar movement startle the competition out of the Florida market? Or are a few of its competitors eyeing what many have deemed Publix territory? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
AUSTIN, TX - While I know the importance of research and application, I value much more the ability to understand it and exactly how important it is. So, I’m deeply sorry I didn’t get to attend this year’s Center for Produce Safety Research Symposium in Austin, Texas, where the latest cutting-edge technology is being discussed among some of the industry’s top names in produce and food safety.
“The annual Center for Produce Safety Research Symposium provides a unique opportunity for academic, industry, and regulatory scientists to collectively review the latest research in food safety and participate in dialogue regarding its application toward protecting consumers,” De Ann Davis, VP of Food Safety & Quality for Church Brothers Farms, recently shared with me.
This year, De Ann is among those voices contributing to the conversation by way of CPS’s panel How to Fuel Change, along with Cathy Burns, CEO of the Produce Marketing Association; Donna Lynn Browne, Director of Food Safety and Social Responsibility for Naturipe Farms; Suresh DeCosta, Director of Food Safety at Lipman Family Farms; and Walter Ram, Vice President, Food Safety for Giumarra Companies.
“The symposium’s well-constructed agenda, diverse attendance, and plentiful opportunities for networking supports our industry’s ability to rapidly apply new science to food safety practices across the supply chain. Each time I attend the Symposium, I gain a deeper and richer understanding of how to best develop and implement prevention-based food safety controls for our products,” De Ann said.
It is, indeed, a very diverse attendee list. As of June 13, those planning to attend, in addition to those I’ve already named, included:
- Driscoll’s
- H-E-B
- Loblaw
- Markon Cooperative
- Publix
- Rainier Fruit
- Subway
- Taylor Farms
- Target
- Taco Bell
- Tanimura & Antle
- Wegmans Food Markets
- Whole Foods
- Wendy’s
- Walmart
It’s all in Austin, Texas’ the Renaissance Austin Hotel! Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we follow the seeds planted by this key event.
DORSET, ENGLAND - Ok, picture this: You’re staging a robbery and are prepping your materials. Ski mask? Check. Bag for the cash? Check. Banana? Check. If you did a double take on that last one, congratulations, pat yourself on the back because you are smarter than a would-be criminal from the U.K. who recently tried to rob a bank with nothing but a banana.
Using what might be one of the mushiest and unintimidating fruits, the aspiring criminal held up a branch of Barclays Bank in Dorset, England, according to Newsweek. The robber wrapped a banana in an orange plastic bag (bonus points for flare), and said to the teller, "This is a stick up, give me the cash." The mock gun and clichéd robbery demand (this is a stick up, really? Is that the best you got?) were enough to make the teller hand over £1,100—approximately $1,378 USD.
Fortunately, the criminal’s conscience got the better of him, and he soon after turned himself in to the authorities. He later pleaded guilty to robbery and, “possessing an imitation firearm,” the news source reports.
"Even though the defendant handed himself in shortly after this incident and the cash was recovered, this must still have been a very distressing incident for the cashier involved," Detective Constable Andy Hale said.
My heart goes out to the teller who must have been terrified and then quite possibly embarrassed upon learning about this robber’s weapon of choice.
Is this the dawn of a new era of produce crime? Using fresh fruits and veg as weapons? Here’s hoping no one holds me up with a durian on my way home tonight. AndNowUKnow will keep you informed about creative produce usage around the world.
VANCOUVER, CANADA - Happy 10th anniversary to Oppy and Orchard View! The companies are thrilled to commemorate their decade-strong partnership and prepare for a plentiful cherry season.
“We are very proud to be celebrating our 10th year as the exclusive marketer of Orchard View cherries,” said James Milne, Vice President of Marketing, Categories and Business Development at Oppy. “We’ve established a strong partnership, and it’s been a great fit because their season is only an eight-week window, they can capitalize on Oppy’s 52-week presence of meeting the top retailers in North America.”
According to a press release, Orchard View’s focal point is cherries with over 3,400 acres in The Dalles, Oregon.
“We choose the best varieties for the time and place,” said Brenda Thomas, Orchard View’s President. “Last year, we installed new equipment to fine-tune the packing line. Furthermore, our focus during the past 12 months has been enhancing our efficiency, volume, and quality in the orchard.”
In spite of Northwest production being curtailed by fruit drop, Orchard View predicts around 1.3 million boxes of cherries this year and is even preparing for more growth in the future.
“Our team is looking to opportunities in July,” Milne said. “We’re encouraging retailers to maintain the momentum beyond Canada Day and Independence Day holiday ads. We expect cherries to be in high demand for these long-weekend celebrations given the reduction of volume available from California.”
Milne continued: “Orchard View has always been known for growing varieties that have excellent quality for long distance export markets. We’re really looking forward to feedback from retailers in Canada and the U.S. to the quality and size that these varieties bring on the domestic market. We will also start to see production of exciting new cherry varieties that will ramp up over the next five years.”
Thomas noted that she looks forward to sharing the ‘Pick your moments’ message with retailers and consumers again in stores this summer and to do it with Oppy by its side for the 10th year running.
For more news on Oppy and Orchard View’s partnership, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
WATSONVILLE, CA - I was today years old when I learned about International Picnic Day, and I’m already a better human for it. In true berry-lover and picnic connoisseur fashion, Driscoll’s is taking its 3D Berry Picnic Mobile on the road. As part of its #BerryTogether campaign, this one-of-a-kind picnic basket on wheels will deliver shareable treats and experiences the whole family will enjoy, catering to Twin Cities residents all summer long.
“Driscoll’s #BerryTogether campaign continues to build emotional brand differentiation across multiple integrated touchpoints,” said Frances Dillard, Senior Director of Brand and Product Marketing. “Flavor is the core purchase driver for berry consumers. By combining our powerful brand promise of Only The Finest Berries™ with an emotional marketing strategy of connecting summer picnic moments, we have a winning brand experience."
According to a press release, the Twin Cities market stands as the raspberry consumption capital of the U.S. So, what better place for Driscoll’s to kick off its #BerryTogether campaign? With fun and engaging activities planned, it’s a surefire way to get people involved and living their best picnic lives.
“Our multi-sensory experiential activation in more than 50 locations throughout Twin Cities summer picnic season will bring loved ones together over fun games and a berry-centric menu of summer dishes, including refreshing blueberry mint lemonade, raspberry vanilla popsicles, and an indulgent chocolate berry skewer,” said Jamie Bassmann, Senior Brand Marketing Manager.
The Berry Picnic Mobile’s full Twin Cities tour schedule can be tracked here and includes fan-favorite stops like the Minnesota State Fair, Grandma’s Marathon, and Twin Cities Marathon.
Additionally, the #BerryTogether campaign includes a creative in-store branded destination designed as a giant picnic basket filled with fresh berries.
“Merchandising fresh berries in the front of the store in refrigerated cases has proven highly successful in driving sales,” stated Kim Allen, Senior Channel Marketing Manager. “This year, we are taking the branded destination to the next level with a creative approach to the picnic theme to connect back to the berry mobile experience. A handy tote designed as a picnic basket was created to carry and drive multi-berry purchase.”
You can never have too much of a good thing! For the latest in new campaigns, marketing, and more, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
NEW DELHI, BENGALURU, INDIA - Amazon is looking to expand its grocery delivery services, particularly fresh produce, in India, recently conducting negotiations with produce supply chain company NinjaCart as a potential investment. The retailer is eager to enter the fresh produce delivery market, though it does already sell select grocery items in the country through its Amazon Now and Amazon Pantry platforms.
Amazon has been investing heavily in expanding its delivery presence in India, recently investing in its Indian food-only retail business, which sells groceries and other packaged food products to Amazon’s local e-commerce marketplace, according to Economic Times.
According to the news source, after its most recent funding round, NinjaCart is valued at over $350 million, and supplies 25,000 tons of fresh produce on a monthly basis.
Amazon is not the only retailer investing in this booming market, as Walmart last year invested $2 billion of new equity funding in Flipkart to grow its presence in the country.
Who’s online presence will gain dominance in one of the largest economies in the world? AndNowUKnow will report.