SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, CA - What do you think of when you hear the words Trinity Fruit Company? Maybe you think of a year-round, vertically-integrated fruit company or even a dedicated grower, packer, shipper of fresh fruit. While both are correct, Levon Ganajian, Director of Retail Relations, revealed that the team at Trinity Fruit has put its nose to the grindstone in order to add to the list of what superlative buyers think of when Trinity Fruit comes to mind. As the company celebrates its 20th anniversary, Trinity Fruit is dawning its next decade as it continues to grow!
“This year, we are proudly celebrating our 20-year anniversary as a company!” Angela Hernandez, Director of Marketing, said to me. “With those 20 years, the Trinity Fruit brand has become synonymous with innovation, meeting the need of our customers and providing healthy alternatives for consumers. Part of our innovation overhaul is our new dried pomegranate arils program, which has quickly become a consumer favorite thanks to its shelf stability and flavor that rivals other dried fruits on the market.”
Trinity Fruit’s dried pomegranate arils, sold in 1 oz snack packs and 2 oz resealable pouch-bags, became available to buyers August 2018, but Angela noted that new packaging will be hitting shelves soon. In addition to dried pomegranate arils, the company also added an import arils program to its operations as a means to supply fresh pomegranate arils year-round.
With summer just a few months away, Angela also shared with me that Trinity Fruit is prepping for its summer stonefruit season.
“Summer is right around the corner, so we are currently focusing on our stone fruit season. While we are fortunate enough to have a group of growers that know how to manage and maintain their crops, it is too early to predict how the stone fruit season is shaping up. However, trees are beautifully blooming and there is an abundance of them. We are very optimistic about the upcoming harvest,” Angela explained.
Last but not least, Trinity Fruit debuted a new website, and it is fresh. Interested parties can check it out in all its glory here.
“We are proud to support the customers who have been with us from the beginning and look forward to the opportunity to build new relationships,” Angela concluded.
For more fresh produce news, keep following AndNowUKnow.
OXNARD, CA - Mangos may be one of the world’s favorite fruit, but they are in limited supply at the moment. I recently had the opportunity to learn exactly why from Freska Produce International’s Managing Principal Gary Clevenger.
“Currently the mango market is very tight out of Mexico; fruit from Peru is over for the most part,” Gary says. “Cool weather has been the issue with mangos out of Mexico. Guatemala has started to ship in very limited quantities, but I think they will begin to ship in higher volumes to take advantage of the higher dollar U.S. market then they are used to.”
With Peru’s season winding to a close and limited volume out of Mexico, the market has tightened up. But Gary tells me we can expect availability to increase as more growing regions become active, and he notes that honey mangos have been in exceptionally good supply.
“There should be better availability over the next few weeks as other regions get into the mix,” Gary explains. “Honey mangos continue to have good availability and should continue into the new regions. Prices on honey mangos are actually below what red mangos are getting at the current moment, which is unusual. Volume out of Mexico this year is behind last year by around 2.6 million lbs, which translates to 265,000 cases. I would expect it to catch up at some point as each of the last couple years in Mexico volume has been higher.”
For more updates on key categories, throughout the year, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
WENATCHEE, WA - Even with a late cherry bloom season, Stemilt Growers tells retail partners to discard last year’s playbook on California cherries! The grower is confident with its retail advice, which compares bloom dates to historical data to provide insight into harvest timing.
“California’s cherry trees bloomed much later than last season and retailers need to know that, so they can adjust their retail promotion plans,” said Roger Pepperl, Marketing Director. “While Mother Nature is keeping us waiting on the crop volume in California, we do know that any volume the industry has coming will come between May 20 and June 20.”
According to the company’s press release, Stemilt has one of the longest growing seasons of any shipper in the U.S. To provide its retail partners with a season-long supply of its World Famous Cherries, the company farms in both California and Washington—which helps the company build trust with its consumers. Stemilt puts its full confidence on a predictive model built off current and historical field data to make the best possible predictions of harvest timing and yield. Not to mention, the years of experience its team members provide only bolsters this model more.
“Quality is at the pinnacle of our cherry program,” expressed Pepperl. “We rely on data to inform our decisions every season and it especially guides us in years like this when timing varies. This year, we knew during bloom that the average temperatures and bloom timing would never align to harvest the bulk of the California crop as early as year’s past. We know it's late and must prepare retailers for plan adjustments to promote this crop at the right moment.”
Using three measurements to get a sense of cherry crop load and timing, Stemilt compares bloom dates to historical data to provide insight into harvest timing and overlaps that data with degree day modeling and soil temperatures. All of this is done to provide the most accurate data. The company’s field staff visits every orchard block to first identify full bloom and then study the crop load on the tree.
“This year, we knew during bloom that the average temperatures and bloom timing would never align to harvest the bulk of the California crop as early as year’s past. We know it's late and must prepare retailers for plan adjustments to promote this crop at the right moment,” said Pepperl. “That experience would be impactful with any crop, but is especially vital in cherries, where the season expectations can change in a moment. The brain trust we have is a great channel for retailers to trust and rely on.”
Based in Stockton, CA, Stemilt’s California cherry growing operation, Chinchiolo Stemilt California, has a six-member field staff with a combined 167 years of cherry experience. They help guide every move and give the company confidence in everything from fruit size and quality to timing and volumes, as stated in the company’s press release.
“We are optimistic that June will be a big month for California cherries, and early predictions into Washington’s crop means a nice transition coming between the two states,” said Pepperl. “Cherries are a huge dollar generator to produce departments and retailers can rely on our intelligence to make their entire season profitable.”
Stemilt knows California cherries are coming later than normal while it waits for trees and Mother Nature to help guide its crop volume predictions. The goal loading time for California cherries will be May 20-June 20, making Memorial Day a great opportunity for the first cherry promotions of the season.
For updates on Stemilt and the cherry season, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
UNITED STATES - The great grocery race is a phrase we may continue to hear for years to come. As Walmart and Amazon continue their grocery battle—fighting with virtual reality, private-label items, and two-hour delivery—it seems that Walmart has squeaked ahead of the e-tailer in one area: click-and-collect. For those unfamiliar with the concept, click-and-collect is a brick-and-mortar supermarket’s bread and butter.
In an op-ed piece published on Bloomberg, the news source outlined the ways in which curbside pickup—a business that will account for $35 billion in sales in the United States by 2020—is being embraced by retailers like Walmart and Target. Amazon, however, has fallen behind on this particular model of grocery delivery.
A report from Cowen & Co. detailed the ways in which Wamart’s grocery pickup is contributing to the retailer’s overall U.S. sales growth. In the report, the analysts forecast Walmart’s U.S. comparable sales to jump 2.8 percent for the current fiscal year over the prior year, and that grocery pickup will account for between 0.9 and 1.3 percentage points.
Currently, Walmart’s grocery pickup program is available at 2,100 stores and is estimated to be in 3,100 by the end of this year.
Amazon certainly isn’t sitting idly by while click-and-collect continues to grow. Although the click-and-collect format doesn’t necessarily make sense for Amazon, it still offers pickup options with its AmazonFresh Pickup in Seattle—a drive-up spot for customers looking to pick up groceries.
Whichever way the click-and-collect format will come down, it’s no secret that Amazon and Walmart will continue to duke it out. Will Walmart, as Bloomberg suggests, continue to pull ahead of Amazon? Will Amazon work to adapt this program in such a way that benefits its end game?
AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the latest.
THE NETHERLANDS - One of Ahold Delhaize’s banners, Albert Heijn, has announced its acquisition of online nutrition start-up FoodFirst Network (FFN) to bring healthy eating tips and tricks to its customers and 100,000 associates. This is a strategic move, as more and more consumers seek out nutritious products, driving growth of the category sky high.
“We want to be the supermarket that helps customers with a healthier lifestyle,” said CEO of Albert Heijn, Marit van Egmond.
FFN offers paid subscribers tips and advice from experts regarding nutrition, health, exercise, and relaxation through newsletters, a digital magazine, and videos. The organization will remain independent within Albert Heijn. No financial details were disclosed.
Albert Heijn has been increasing its efforts to encourage everyone in the Netherlands to live a healthy lifestyle and has begun providing healthier foods to customers. The brand has removed hundreds of thousands of sugar cubes from products and plans to use one billion fewer sugar cubes by the end of 2020, according to the press release. Last year, the brand debuted My Nutritional Value, which is an online tool allowing customers to view the amount of calories, salt, sugar, fiber, and protein present in the products they buy and suggests healthier alternatives.
“All the ingredients for a better life for everyone—FFN fits perfectly with this ambition,” said van Egmond. “Together we can further fulfill our role in the Netherlands with regard to health. The platform and the knowledge that we acquire is relevant for our customers and for us as a company. I am looking forward to working with the FFN team.”
As a key element of its Leading Together strategy, Ahold and its local brands are ramping up efforts to help consumers make healthier choices. Subject to a number of conditions, the acquisition is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2019.
For more retail acquisition news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
KINGSVILLE, ON - Mastronardi Produce continues to lead in sustainability innovation. This week, the greenhouse grower announced that it is the first fresh produce company to join the Sustainable Packaging Coalition® (SPC), a collection of leading companies and thought leaders who believe in the power of industry to make packaging more sustainable.
“We recognize the importance of this issue, and as a leader in the category, we felt it was important to contribute to addressing this issue on a broad scale,” said Paul Mastronardi, President and CEO of Mastronardi Produce, and the fourth-generation family member to lead the organization. “By joining forces with coalition members and continuing to develop earth-friendly solutions, we hope to inspire change among our retailer partners, consumers, and even more broadly.”
Nicole Balderas, Vice President, Marketing for Mastronardi Produce, added that single-use plastic is one of consumers' rising concerns, which is why Mastronardi Produce made the decision to join the SPC. According to a press release, the SPC is a trademark project of GreenBlue Org, a Charlottesville, VA-based environmental nonprofit dedicated to the sustainable use of materials in society.
“We recognize consumers are concerned about their impact on the planet,” said Balderas. “We also know that this is a multi-faceted issue, so our goal is to provide a range of packaging solutions to empower consumers and retailers to address it. We know consumers want alternatives to single-use plastic, and we are committed to offering alternatives, so they can make choices they feel good about.”
Mastronardi will showcase its latest sustainable packaging options, including SUNSET® options that are made from renewable sources and are 100% backyard compostable, at this year’s Canadian Produce Marketing Association’s Convention & Tradeshow in Montreal, Quebec. Find the company at booth #1015.
For more fresh produce news ahead of CPMA, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CA - Earthbound Farm has a lot to celebrate this year, including its 35th anniversary! Since 1984, the company has been all organic, all the time, and it’s utilizing this year’s CPMA Convention and Trade Show to highlight this fact. I had the pleasure of speaking with Jessica Harris, Senior Innovation and Marketing Manager, Earthbound Farm, to learn more.
“The CPMA Convention and Trade Show provides the best opportunity to connect with, participate in, and demonstrate commitment to the produce industry in Canada,” Jessica said. “We appreciate how successfully they engage so deeply across all aspects of the industry, from grower shippers to students to retailers, and bring them all together in one place. As a result, this is the go-to place to debut and launch new products for the Canadian market.”
These new products have already shown success in the United States, and Earthbound Farm is excited to get them in front of the Canadian consumer. They include:
- Mighty Spinach (Organic Baby Spinach, Organic Baby Pay-Choi, Organic Baby Tatsoi, Organic Baby Bok Choy Leaves)
- Rosé Blend (Organic Baby Butter Lettuce, Organic Baby Oak Leaf, Organic Baby Pak-Choi, Organic Baby Red Leaf, and Organic Radicchio)
- Red Baby Butter Lettuce
“Canadian consumers, on the whole, seem to prioritize the food experience,” Jessica shared with me when I asked her what opportunities the Canadian market presents. “They more readily embrace new culinary trends and are less price sensitive when it comes to food. This may be a part of why salad kits are becoming more prevalent there.”
And with an unwavering dedication and belief in organic food, it’s no surprise that Earthbound Farm’s vision of cultivating a healthier world would resonate with buyers and consumers alike.
SANTA PAULA, CA - While the produce game is going strong these days, it’s still limited by the fact that fruit and veg are generally for eating. But hold the phone, Limoneira Citrus has innovated the citrus category with a brand new campaign touting alternative uses for lemons. The company is encouraging consumers to change the way they think about citrus, and the environment, by using the fruit for cleaning purposes. And what says ‘clean’ more than a fresh, lemon-y scent?
The company’s new suggested uses for its fruits enables consumers to take a step in the green direction, because the humble lemon’s many household applications preclude the need for harsh and environmentally unfriendly chemicals.
Limoneira has enlisted the help of internationally published author, cooking show host, and nutrition expert Megan Roosevelt to spread the word about sustainable cleaning using citrus. She came up with several household uses for lemons that blew my mind.
Some alternative uses for lemons include:
- Add citrus peel to your garden: Insects dislike the smell, so the peel acts as a natural bug repellent. When the peels decompose, they release nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium into the soil, naturally fertilizing the ground.
- Use citrus to clean pots and pans: Rub citrus juice and salt into a pot/pan for easy scouring that is non-toxic and natural.
- Lemons instead of bleach: Hold on to your lemon halves after juicing them to keep your whites, white. Add the lemon halves to a large pot of water and boil. Then throw in your dingy whites, soak overnight, and wash as usual for stunningly bright whites.
The company will be posting tips, tricks, and recipes to its social media channel weekly for consumers who demand more citrus info.
Limoneira is dedicated to doing right by the earth, employing many energy-saving and sustainable practices. The company has six solar installations across the company, producing a total 4.2 million KW annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, according to a press release. Another solar project is planned, which will add 2.8 million KW for a total of 75 million KW annually. The company also houses a 12-acre green waste facility that processes an average of 1,000 tons of waste each week that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill. Limoneira has also built a gravity-powered water treatment system—a 24,000-square-foot project, which processes 180,000 gallons of water daily, transforming waste into water that meets California 22 drinking standards.
For more eco-friendly citrus tips, check out the video on the Limoneira channel here.
To stay up to date on sustainable produce news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
MONTREAL, CANADA - Long before the healthy-eating bandwagon left the station, produce and health went hand-in-hand and still go hand-in-hand today. But in an ever-crowded market for healthy food, a few produce folks are stepping up to make sure the messaging of fresh fruit and veg still shines through. Enter the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, which is pushing forward a few programs, both at the CPMA Convention and Trade Show on April 2-4 and beyond, to ensure consumers everywhere not only know the benefits of fresh produce, but celebrate them forever and always.
I sat down with the association’s President Ron Lemaire to find out more about the new Canada’s Food Guide and the Half Your Plate program before the grand trade show kicks off next week.
“The new Canada’s Food Guide is an important pillar of the government’s ambitious Healthy Eating Strategy. CPMA has long advocated for evidence-based policy making in the government, and the new Food Guide is a shining example of this principle. The new Canada’s Food Guide is also a unique opportunity for buyers and suppliers to push the Half Your Plate messaging and encourage Canadians to consume more fresh fruits and vegetables,” Ron explained to me. “Canadians are eager to adopt healthier diets and the new Food Guide is a vital resource for consumers to educate themselves on diet-related habits and recipes. CPMA applauds the government for the release of the new Canada’s Food Guide.”
Much of CPMA’s latest efforts hinge on the fact that over 80 percent of Canadians did not consume the recommended number of fruits and vegetables per day, according to The Economic Benefits of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption study by H. Kruger & Associates in 2016. Ron also noted that the economic burden attributable to low produce intake today is $4.4 billion in direct and indirect costs. To remedy these numbers, the Half Your Plate program was established and designed to promote the benefits of filling "Half Your Plate" with produce at every meal. The program also aims to decrease the economic burden that results in eating unhealthy foods and boost the produce industry’s sales.
“The Half Your Plate message is unmistakable. It’s a clear, easy-to-remember phrase that can guide consumers to living healthier. We’re committed to showing everyone how easy it is to incorporate fruits and vegetables into every meal via tips, tricks, and recipes available on www.halfyourplate.ca, our Instagram (@HalfYourPlateCanada) or Pinterest (Half Your Plate). Consumers can even ask us directly on any of these platforms,” Ron said. “In addition, the visuals in the new Canada’s Food Guide match our Half Your Plate imaging, amplifying our message. We hope to see fruit and vegetable consumption increase correspondingly. We look forward to continuing to promote this positive messaging.”
Lastly, CPMA is also welcoming a Dietician to its team to amplify their healthy eating initiatives, highlighting the Half Your Plate program as a part of its long-standing partnership with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Canadian Public Health Association, and the Canadian Cancer Society. This new position will help the association connect with health practitioners who are looking for usable resources on promoting the consumption of produce.
“We’re happy to continue to grow our network of dieticians and offer more assets to our members to drive their business. The success of Half Your Plate is a team effort, and we know that health practitioners, particularly dieticians, are on the front lines when it comes to spreading this message. Not to mention that many retailers are now adding dieticians to their staff to help guide consumers’ healthy decisions. Thus, it’s important to get our messaging out to this tight-knit network,” Ron shared. “We are eagerly anticipating having this new resource available to our members to help everyone develop their business using evidence-based information pertaining to the consumption of fruits and vegetables. We encourage all health practitioners who want to learn more about getting our promotional materials to please contact us.”
Interested in learning more and soon? Dieticians attending the CPMA Cconvention will have the opportunity to partake in the Dieticians Sessions, giving them the chance to get up close and personal with the association’s newest resource. The sessions, both interactive and educational, aim to connect the dietician community and educate attendees on important issues within their profession, including fruits and vegetables for IBS, client-based barriers that dieticians experience, food styling and food photography, Half Your Plate resources, and CPMA food safety and regulatory issues.
Registration is still open for the convention at convention.cpma.ca. Register today to take part in the biggest event dedicated to fresh produce in Canada—it is sure to be unforgettable!
For more industry trade show updates, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
LAKELAND, FL - Publix announced, last week, that one of its most experienced leaders, Vice Chairman Barney Barnett, has announced plans to retire, effective April 30, 2019.
Barnett began his Publix career in 1969 as an Internal Auditor in Lakeland, Florida. He was then promoted to Controller in 1977 and Vice President of Administrations in 1986. In 1988, he was again promoted, this time to the role of Executive Vice President. In 1998, he moved into his current role as Vice Chairman.
“We are grateful for Barney’s 50 years of service to Publix, our associates, our customers, and the communities we serve,” said CEO Todd Jones, in a recent press release. “His commitment to our culture has helped pave the path for our future successes. It has been an honor and privilege to work alongside him. We will miss him but also wish him well as he starts this next chapter of his life.”
According to the press release, Barnett is one of only 20 Publix associates who have reached the milestone of a 50-year-long Publix career. And Barnett will remain on the board of Publx Super Markets Charities and, as Publix’s Board of Director has also named him Vice Chairman Emeritus, Barnett will be recognized at this year’s annual meeting of stockholders.
Throughout this Publix career, Barnett has been recognized by a number of organizations for both his leadership and his commitment to the community. The United Way of Central Florida named him Philanthropist of the Year in 2016 and presented him with the Alexis de Tocqueville Society Award in 2002. He was inducted into the Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame in 2002 and received the Governor’s Business Leader Award in 2010.
Publix noted that Barnett is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Carol Jenkins Barnett, and continuing to support the communities they’ve served for so long.
Congratulations to Barney from the ANUK team for an incredible career.