YAKIMA, WA - With summer fast approaching, Superfresh Growers® is keeping its finger on the pulse of the apple and pear categories in order to continue driving sales during the hottest months. One way the grower is doing so is by diving deep into past months’ data to prep for the months ahead. Specifically, Superfresh Growers dove into April’s data, finding that core varieties and organics continue to lift the apple category, despite it trending down in the last 52 weeks.
Superfresh Growers also celebrated the fact that it grows and supplies one-hundred percent American-grown apples, all from its Central Washington state orchards—supplies from which make up the bulk of the grower’s summer apple program.
“Superfresh Growers is excited to have American grown apples and pears for our summer program. As multi-generational American farmers, we understand supporting our local farmers is essential to our economy, and we are proud to grow the best apples and pears in the world. For us, growing pears and apples is a way of life. We are honored to be stewards of our land, ensuring we have legacy to pass on to future generations. We are proud to be innovators on farming, food safety, and quality,” said Catherine Gipe-Stewart, Communications Manager.
According to a press release, core apple varieties propped up the category both organically and conventionally in the month of April. Honeycrisp apple sales were on the rise, up 4.3 percent to $82.6 million, placing it as number one for sales. Gala, on the other hand, led in the way of volume, carrying the apple category at 28 percent of total apple volume (volume was down 4.5 percent), with sales up 4.3 percent. In addition, the average price per pound increased by 9.3 percent to $1.36 per pound. Fuji, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious completed the month’s fab (apple) five.
“Supporting American farmers and the American Dream of living and working in the United States is a point we are proud of,” continued Gipe-Stewart. “We have a great supply of American-grown apples to last us through summer right up to new crop harvest.”
The real winner of April was the organic apple category, which saw dollars up 8.6 percent, volume up 8.7 percent, and the price per pound at $2.19—all of which Superfresh Growers attributes to Earth Day promotions. Total apple sales, however, were flat at 0.4 percent, and volume was down -5.5 percent. The average price per pound rose 6.3 percent to $1.74.
The company also highlighted its exclusive Autumn Glory® apple, which continued to deliver strong sales and year-over-year growth to the apple category. Sales were up 39.9 percent, and volume was up 43.8 percent. The average price per pound was one of the category leaders at a solid $1.96 per pound.
“Autumn Glory fans have been happy to see our season continue to lengthen as volume grows. Shoppers can find Autumn Glory nationwide and enjoy sharing their excitement of finding this treasure on social media,” added Gipe-Stewart.
For the pear category, April sales were slightly down compared to last year, and the usual “big 3” varieties carried most of the sales load. Total pear dollars were down -0.6 percent, while volume decreased -0.7 percent. Anjou pears increased 2.8 percent in sales, with the average price per pound rising 3.1 percent to $1.54. Organic pears dropped in both sales (-6.7 percent) and volume (-8.4 percent).
This information is based on IRI Freshlook® data in regards to the last four weeks, ending April 21, 2019.
For more deep dives into fresh fruit and veg, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
GAINESVILLE, FL - Y’know the thing about a gator, he’s got lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn’t seem to be livin’...until he bites your melons. In Florida there exists a Jaws-like menace in the form of an alligator who has a preference for watermelon—and no picnic basket is safe.
According to The Epoch Times, Trevor Walters and his fiancé Taylor Forte were sharing a picnic, soaking in some sun, and all-around enjoying life, when an alligator, let’s call him Greedy Gator, came upon the Floridians and made a beeline for the watermelon and charcuterie.
“He swims up to the bank and just looks us dead in the eyes and then he immediately just sprints up onto the beach,” Walters said to CBS4 Gainesville.
As soon as the gator charged, the couple quickly beat feet and watched, helplessly, while Greedy Gator helped himself to their feast, which included cut watermelon, a whole block of cheese, salami, and a bowl of guacamole—yes, I said bowl.
“The worst part is we had a big bowl of guac made,” Walters explained. “He eats the whole bowl. He put the whole bowl in his mouth.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission suspects that Greedy Gator had likely been previously fed by humans, causing him to become less wary of people by associating them with food. I can’t imagine a worse nightmare than a gator associating me with food, but Walters, thankfully, was prepared to fight back, and successfully drove Greedy Gator back into the water.
“I learned this back in my childhood to scare bears you get up and make yourself big,” Walters told CBS4 Gainesville. “Make a lot of noise. It’s called the bear scare.”
What next, Florida? Gators going after cantaloupe? Honeydew? Cassava?! AndNowUKnow will continue to report on produce-stealing pests.
SACRAMENTO, CA - I think there’s something in the water at the Gold Coast Packaging and 99 Cents Only offices—or maybe there’s a radioactive spider crawling around the vents! Whatever it may be, one thing’s for sure: The teams at these produce-loving companies are some of the quickest and smiley-est of our industry, exemplified by both companies’ back-to-back (-to-back) wins—color the ANUK team impressed!
This round, Natali Carrillo represented the supply-side and Gold Coast Packaging with one of the fastest slides into our DMs. I’m not joking when I say she probably broke a record! In honor of her hard work and quick searching abilities, Natali gets to start off her Wednesday flush with $100 cash—the best way to start off any day of the week.
"Our Gold Coast team LOVES The Snack contest! We look forward to next contest and hope to keep the Champion title within our Gold Coast team," Natali, Sales Support/Sales, said after nabbing another win for Gold Coast. "Thank you again! I am very appreciative of the prize I was awarded with!"
On the buy-side, Kimberly Chan, Associate Buyer for 99 Cents Only, took another round (her third in a row!) by storm! I’m sure she thought to herself, "should I let someone else represent the buy-side this round?” before realizing that just would not do. I say, if you got it, flaunt it, and Kimberly has got the Find the Apple contest down on lock! Why not stunt a little?
“I LOVE THE SNACK! Thank you so much ANUK!!” Kimberly shared with me following her win. “I’m so grateful that I still get to hold my title! Can’t wait for more amazing content.”
If you didn’t beat out our reigning champs to ANUK’s inbox this time, don’t sweat! This isn’t the last you’ll see the Find the Apple contest. Be sure to subscribe to The Snack Magazine here (subscription is valued at $129 per year), and keep an eye out for future contest announcements on ANUK.
May 2019 Snack Magazine-Volume 40
Remember that contest rules require that submissions include a person pointing out the logo on the cover of The Snack Magazine, and the countdown only begins once we announce the contest in AndNowUKnow’s newsletter.
Congratulations to our May winners! We’ll be back very soon with Volume 41 in June! See you then!
WESTONS MILLS, NY - C&S Wholesale confirmed it is closing a former Olean Wholesale facility, but the when and why will remain a mystery for a bit longer. The distributor announced that it wishes to give employees all necessary information before making any more known to the public.
“Many of the details are still being worked out, and we feel that the first audience should be our employees,” Lauren La Bruno, Vice President of Communications and Change Management, told Olean Times Harold, declining to comment on the planned timetable or the reasons behind the move. La Bruno did add the media would be informed in the future.
C&S’s customers for retail in the area received notification of plans to close the warehouse, now operated under the name WNY Logistics LLC, on Friday, according to the news source. Upon its closure, transportation and fleet services will continue in Olean with warehousing duties shifted to DuBois, PA. It is anticipated the close will lay off more than 100 employees in the area, though without an official announcement it can’t be known if they will be given additional options from C&S.
Because state law mandates workers must be notified 90 days before closing and there was no Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification had been published as of Monday, June 3, social media and sources are estimating the closure is still at least four months out.
C&S Wholesale announced it had signed a deal to acquire New York-based Olean Wholesale Grocery Cooperative in December, closing the purchase officially early this year. Will additional plans be made known as more details of the closure are announced? AndNowUKnow will keep you up to date on the latest of this and other key market moves made in our industry.
IMMOKALEE, FL - Lipman Family Farms is introducing The Crimson grape tomato, a grape variety slicing tomato with a similarly intense, juicy, homegrown taste as The Crimson round tomato. Lipman is also debuting its 100-percent greenhouse-grown Suntastic mini sweet peppers in convenient one-pound retail bags. This adds a new variety of colorful, tasty vegetables to grocers and retailers!
“It has a dazzling color, perfect for produce managers looking for an eye-popping display tool to draw shoppers,” said Bo Bates, General Manager of Tomato Sales. “Plus, the dense interior and solid, meaty center deliver a classic home-garden fresh taste that will keep shoppers coming back for more.”
According to a press release, to produce the state-of-the-art products and package them in ready-to-eat retail packs, Lipman Family Farms grows both specialty varieties out of its glass greenhouse facility in Exeter, Ontario, Canada. The Crimson grape goes to shelves in popular re-sealable, top-seal containers, creating full transparency, and expediency. The heirloom-grape crossbreeding that gives the tomato its rich flavor profile is also responsible for its unique dimples and non-uniform shape, making them a focal point in produce displays. With a blemish-free color and uniform size, it has consistent quality and promotable volume.
Red all the way through, The Crimson grape tomatoes are sweeter than most grape tomato varieties. Attributed to The Crimson brand, the imperfect dimpling around this new variety gives home chefs the look and feel of cooking with an heirloom while delivering the texture and flavor profile.
“We can deliver The Crimson grape tomato from April through December, and we’re getting closer to making it available year-round,” said Bates.
Whether it’s the Crimson grape tomato or the Suntastic mini sweet pepper, the controlled Exeter greenhouse environment allows for consistency of presentation, color, and taste. The peppers come in a resealable bag, making them perfect for snacking, grilling, or salads full of nutrients and bursting with color. In its dependable quality, the firm shape and smooth exterior gives them the premium consistency of Lipman’s protected agriculture brand, Suntastic, ensuring consumer confidence.
On June 11-12, the new Lipman products will be on display at United Fresh in Chicago at booth #2017.
For more news on Lipman’s products and packaging, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow!
ROMULUS, MI - Kroger is taking steps to cement its presence in the Michigan market, recently teaming up with Penske Logistics to utilize the distribution company’s $98.5 million warehouse facility. The warehouse will exclusively house Kroger products, and offer the company the chance to streamline its Michigan operations.
"All products housed in the new distribution center are Kroger products and the facility will only service Kroger's Michigan Division," said Rachel Hurst, Corporate Affairs Manager for Kroger, in a news release.
The warehouse, referred to as the Michigan Fresh Center, is already fully operational, taking up 47 acres south of the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Employing 460 individuals, the new 606,000-square-foot facility consists primarily of cold storage—possibly Southeast Michigan’s largest fridge—with other areas of the warehouse dedicated to dry goods, a Penske spokesperson, Kimberly Harmsen, said, reports Crain’s Detroit Business.
With 105 loading docks, the warehouse supports Kroger’s food distribution across the company’s 120 stores throughout the state of Michigan. Penske Logistics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Penske Truck Leasing and provides distribution center management and warehousing services to Kroger in other locations in the U.S., according to the news source.
Will the facility and enhanced distribution potential enable Kroger to gain dominance in the Michigan market? AndNowUKnow will report.
SACRAMENTO, CA - Hello summer, my old friend! It’s finally sweltering here in California—and not just because we’ve made it to June, but because another round of the Find the Apple contest has begun! The heat is on and cranked way way way up—this round is no joke! So grab your May issue of The Snack Magazine and prove to the industry you have what it takes to come out on top, and with some cash shmoney, too!
If you haven’t received a hard copy of our May issue featuring Chef Ryan Scott, click here for the digital cover. But before you get ready for your closeup, be sure to do the following:
- Show your face! It’s called a selfie for a reason!
- Be sure your finger is pointing to the AndNowUKnow apple logo
If your photo checks off all the above boxes, email it to [email protected] to join the running for the $100 cash prize!
Every round, we choose two winners, one from the buy-side and one from the supply-side. If you beat everyone to the punches this round, you could join the winners circle with some of the quickest produce people, like:
- Chris Olsen of Gold Coast Packing (reigning supply-side champion!)
- Kimberly Chan of 99 Cents Only (reigning buy-side champion!)
- Danny Ortiz of Sysco
- Dustin White of Fresh Concepts
- Brandi McGuire-Sisco of Topco Associates
- Mike Mendez of NatureFresh™ Farms
- Monina Knox of Sobeys
Interested in receiving a copy of The Snack to give you a leg up in future challenges? Subscriptions are valued at $129 per year, click here to subscribe. Good luck to all and may the email gods smile upon you so that your selfie hits our inbox first!
IRVINE, CA - Good morning, AndNowUKnow readers!
Today, I am bringing you some of the category and weather news from around the industry. Check back twice weekly to see where the rain is falling, the sun is shining, and everything in between.
HEAVY RAINS IN MEXICO
The tropical disturbance we talked about last Friday has moved north over to the Gulf of Mexico side of the Yucatan Peninsula. This disturbance will likely produce heavy rains over portions of southern and eastern Mexico during the next few days. Heavy rains are also likely to spread over southeastern Texas and Louisiana through Thursday.
Martinez de la Torre, Veracruz (Persian limes), yesterday received up to 3” of rain. Quality and harvests of limes might be affected.
To the west of Veracruz in the state of Puebla, the growing regions will see significant rain over the next two days. This region produces broccoli and lettuces this time of year.
For other commodities and locations affected by these rains, please check the app.
CANADIAN CHERRIES TO SEE RAIN AND COLD TEMPERATURES
Cherry growing regions of British Columbia, Canada, will experience their own late winter storm later this week. The storm will come in Thursday, bringing cold temperatures and rain. Maximum temperatures during this three-day period will range from the mid-50°s to the mid-60°s, which is 15° to 20° below the current high temperatures. The minimum temperatures will dip into the mid-40°s. Rainfall over the three-day period will range from .25” to .55” depending upon location. Please check the app for specifics. This storm could affect the upcoming crop from this area.
COLD IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
This same storm affecting British Columbia, Canada, will also bring cold temperatures and a chance of rain to Washington and Oregon, also possibly affecting their cherry crop.
Hood River on Friday will see a maximum temperature of only 53°, which is 20° below today’s high temperature. This area may see a light rain on Friday as well. The Yakima and Wenatchee Valleys of Washington will also see cooler temperatures and a chance for rain later this week. These three locations are also cherry growing regions.
By Tuesday, June 11, things will change as the region enters a heatwave. We will have more information to you in our Friday update.
SEVEN DAYS OF RAIN COMING TO THE SOUTH
The southeastern states can expect daily chances of rain starting tomorrow and continuing through at least next Tuesday. We are talking about Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida. Daily rain totals will range from .25” to 1.00”, depending on the region and day. Please check the app for the specific commodities that will be affected.
CALIFORNIA TO SEE COOLER TEMPERATURES THURSDAY/FRIDAY BUT THEN WILL HEAT UP THIS WEEKEND
Temperatures across California growing regions will drop by 10° to 15° this Thursday and Friday as the tail end of the low pressure hitting the Northwest will come through. There is no rain expected, only cool temperatures. Regions of the San Joaquin Valley are currently in the upper 90°s and will drop to the mid-80°s, and areas currently in the mid-80°s will drop to the upper 60°s. On Friday, temperatures will bounce back to normal.
Starting Sunday, the script will flip as warm temperatures come across the state. Expect regions such as Salinas and Santa Maria to see maximum temperatures into the 80°s from Sunday through Wednesday of next week. Fresno and Bakersfield can expect maximum temperatures in the low 100°s, and the desert regions will see a peak temperature of 108° next Wednesday.
Look for volumes to pick up next week out of these regions. Please check the app for specific locations and commodities.
Thanks again, and we'll be back later this week with another weather report!
SANTA MONICA, CA - What did the Avocado say to the bicycle? Nothing, they’re both inanimate objects, but the Hass Avocado Board and Livestrong.com have been talking plenty, recently announcing a new partnership. Throughout the month of June, the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) will work with Livestrong.com, one of the most visited fitness and wellness online platforms in the country, to engage a potential online audience of over 32 million health-focused consumers with a month-long avocado challenge. The promotion challenges the thousands of dedicated members of the Livestrong.com Facebook community to enjoy an avocado each day, share their favorite recipes, and promote how the nutritious and delicious fruit is supporting their healthy living goals.
“A strategic partnership with Livestrong.com aligns with HAB’s goals to raise awareness among consumers that avocados are nutritious and connect health professionals with our research on avocado nutrition,” said Emiliano Escobedo, Executive Director of the Hass Avocado Board. “This campaign provides a national platform for Fresh Avocados, Love One Today to spread education, highlight new nutritional and health studies, and inspire daily consumption of fresh avocados in meaningful and memorable way.”
The interactive campaign will include custom online content and a national survey specially designed to get a sense of the perceptions of the Livestrong.com audience regarding fresh avocados and where they fit in a healthy diet. Additional strategic tactics include social media promotion, digital ads, healthy avocado recipes on Livestrong.com’s award-winning app MyPlate, and national public relations. The campaign will highlight the versatility and health benefits of fresh avocados, including how their consumption supports weight management, heart health, maintaining normal glucose and insulin levels for people with type 2 diabetes, and overall healthy living. Recent HAB research found that regularly eating avocados is linked to healthy body weight, which will be used in the campaign to promote under 500 calorie recipes and how-to videos at a new campaign landing page at LoveOneToday.com/Livestrong.
HAB’s promotion of Fresh Avocados, Love One Today with Livestrong.com includes focused outreach to health professionals. Livestrong.com health and wellness experts will encourage health professionals to explore free educational materials exclusively developed for them, including the latest in avocado research and tools to pass along to patients seeking guidance on healthy food choices.
Keep reading AndNowUKnow for more produce-forward initiatives.
MUNICH, GERMANY - The acquisition of IFCO by Triton and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) was finalized on May 31, 2019.
The two investment companies acquired IFCO for $2.51 billion, making IFCO a fully independent company. This gives the reusable plastic containers (RPCs) provider the flexibility to offer more efficient and sustainable fresh foods packaging solutions.
“We are very excited about the future and very proud to say that IFCO is an independent company again,” said Wolfgang Orgeldinger, CEO of IFCO. “This independence and the support by our investors will help to drive growth by expanding our customer base, strengthen the ties with existing customers, and enable us to act more flexibly to opportunities and challenges within the markets that we serve. I am sure that we will build on the record financial results we achieved last year. IFCO is well positioned for its future as an independent company. Since there will be no impact on our operations, we will continue business as usual and offer our customers the high-quality services and solutions they know.”
According to a press release, in March of 2011, IFCO's former parent company, Brambles, acquired the company. Since then, IFCO has grown in the market for RPCs for fresh foods. IFCO has 32 subsidiaries around the world today, which serve more than 320 retailers and over 14,000 producers in over 50 countries. The company operates more than 75 service centers and a global pool of over 290 million RPCs, which are used in over 1.6 billion shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, bread, and other items from suppliers to retailers every year. Brambles announced the intent to sell IFCO in August 2018.
IFCO is a powerful business with a large addressable market, with clear opportunities to capitalize on growth in the sector. IFCO generated revenues of more than $1.1 billion and achieved a growth of 8 percent in financial year 2018.
AndNowUKnow first reported on this story in February 2019.
For more acquisition news like this, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.