ORLANDO, FL - Surrounded by the warmth and soul of those in the produce industry, I wandered the show floor of this year’s Southern Exposure with a happy heart—and a full belly. With so many standout booths and a veritable menagerie of fresh produce, it was nearly impossible to narrow it down to just five picks. Read on to see what stood out to this writer!
DelFrescoPure®'s Living Cube
Have you ever bought lettuce and forgotten about it? I certainly have. I’ve returned three days later to wilted leaves and a heavy heart. But we forgetful shoppers no longer need to worry about such a calamity. DelFrescoPure’s Living Cube features lettuce with the roots still attached; once they’re in your fridge, they won’t wilt! The added benefit of having the roots attached is that you can plant them after you’ve purchased them and continue to watch your lettuce grow!
Ippolito International Bagged Brussels Sprouts
Long gone are the days when people reviled the dreaded Brussels sprout. We’ve ushered in a new era in which the veggie reigns and I’m a huge sucker for Brussels sprouts. Sauté them with bacon and onions and I won’t eat anything else for about a week. Conveniently pre-packaged, these bulbs will look amazing as a produce display and will soon find their way onto consumer's dinner tables. Since shoppers won’t have to worry about wrestling the bulbs off the stalk, they're one step closer to making dinnertime magical.
Red Sun Farm’s Sweetpops
We all know that we must bow down to the snacking gods, and why not present them with Red Sun’s Sweetpops as an offering? Refreshingly sweet and juicy, these little guys pack a huge flavor punch! It’s impossible to stop munching on them as soon as you’ve started. With its sweet-to-acidity ratio, there’s no going back. The see-through packaging lets the consumer peek in at what’s inside—allowing those tomato customers to gear up for the tastebud adventure they are about to embark on. Consumers are sure to find them as enchanting as I did, mark my words!
Highline Mushrooms Top Seal Packaging
Are mushrooms taking center stage in the veggie aisle? They very well could with the help of Highline Mushrooms' package trays. With updated packaging, the latest product from Highline Mushrooms continues to show off the goods on sleek black trays. Seeing those gorgeous mushrooms—some already sliced!—consumers will be hard-pressed to turn away from creating their very-own plant-based meal.
CMI Orchard's Apple Flavors of the World
The Great Wall of China, Macchu Picchu, the Roman Colosseum—all of these have nothing on CMI’s box of apple treasures! CMI is celebrating the homelands of consumers’ top apples, such as Ambrosia Gold®, KIKU®, Kanzi®, Smitten™, Jazz™, Envy®, and Pacific Rose™. Your tastebuds will wind through the homelands of these varieties, such as Italy, Belgium, Canada, and New Zealand. Who knew the produce aisle could become a tourist destination?
Until next year, Southern Exposure!
LOS ALAMITOS, CA - Holiday and celebrate with Frieda’s! The specialty produce company just celebrated Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day last week and is looking forward to Love Your Produce Manager® Day, April 2nd, to show appreciation for all these two teams accomplish. These are opportunities to make eating healthy effortless and enjoyable for every shopper.
“Recognition of your produce and dietitian teams is always important, but having a day that truly acknowledges the value they bring every day builds loyalty,” explained Alex Berkley, Sales Manager. “These teams help create an in-store experience that brings shoppers into your store and keeps them coming back.”
As stated in a press release, statistics shows that freshness and associate friendliness are the main drivers of the shopper experience, scoring a “4.4 and 4.3 respectively, on a 5-point scale according to the Retail Feedback Group’s U.S. Supermarket Experience 2019 report.”
“Going that extra mile for these teams is a great way to ensure that your store becomes the destination for fresh and healthy eating,” said Berkley.
By celebrating your produce heroes and dietitian teams this year, Frieda’s noted, it will create an excellent consumer experience for all!
For more fresh produce news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
PELION, SC - Much went down at the 2019 Southeast Produce Council’s (SEPC) Southern Exposure. Companies from far and wide traveled to Orlando, Florida, to unveil new products and looks. One such company that unveiled a fresh new look was WP Rawl, which showed off its new leafy green packaging.
“As the leafy greens guide in the produce industry, we pride ourselves in continuing to invest in the leafy greens category by staying in tune with trends,” said Ashley Rawl, Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Product Development, in a recent press release. “With a fresh new look and creative modern design, we are excited to draw in new consumers to the leafy greens category.”
The complete line of conventional, triple-washed, and ready-to-use leafy greens are turning over a new leaf with this packaging refresh. The press release noted that the traditional Nature’s Greens' brand’s bold, bright colors and nutritional information call outs continue to be the center of the pack’s focus, while also adding a fresh new twist.
The product line that includes collar, kale, mustard, turnip, and a greens blend will now include illustrations of each product’s leaf design. Each leaf is positioned vertically on the package to simulate how the produce grows up from the ground, and the leafy greens inside fill in the color of the leaves from inside the bag.
Keep reading AndNowUKnow for the latest in all things fresh produce.
NORWAY - McDonald’s, the well-known fast food chain, has taken a turn toward plant-based fare recently. After introducing its first salads in the 2000s, the burger behemoth has been pushing further into plant-based options. But big news is coming out of Norway, where the company has retooled its classic McNugget—introducing a completely vegan version of the Happy Meal staple.
The new vegan McNuggets are made with a blend of plant-based ingredients, including chickpeas, carrots, cauliflower, onion, potatoes, and corn—all coated in a crunchy breading. The McNuggets go hand-in-hand with McDonald’s Norway’s newly introduced Vegetarian McFeast burger, a breaded bean-based patty topped with cheese, “McFeast” sauce, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles.
The new McFeast burger and vegan McNuggets are the latest addition to a growing staple of vegan and vegetarian products being introduced in Scandinavia and its neighbors, according to VegNews. McDonald’s also added McVegan burgers in Sweden and Finland in 2017—reportedly selling as many as 150,000 in one month.
The question on everyone’s mind is: will the vegan McNuggets make their way to the U.S.?
“Clearly, as demonstrated by its surprising announcement that, by 2025, 100 percent of the company's guest packaging will come from renewable, recycled, or certified sources, McDonald's is trying to have a positive impact on the world, while keeping up with the fast-changing buying preferences of its customers,” said Inc. contributor Peter Economy, in a recent article. “While it's doubtful that McDonald's will ever completely stop selling beef, chicken, pork, or other meat products, the introduction of more vegan choices is a big step for the company, and one that its competitors are keeping a close eye on.”
Keep reading AndNowUKnow for all your veg-based news.
SPRINGDALE, AR - After CEO Greg Foran called Walmart a “Goliath” and challenged its “David” competitors to “bring it on,” a certain Arkansas-based David revealed itself to the masses as not one interested in lying down and rolling over in the face of the retail behemoth. In an exclusive interview with Talk Business & Politics, Harps Foods CEO Kim Eskew discussed competing with one of the world’s largest retailers in both of their shared backyards.
“It’s really tough here because the Walmart stores that operate all around us in Northwest Arkansas are the best-run Walmarts in the country. They are a formidable competitor. We try and do things a little differently and really emphasize our quality, but it’s tough every day,” Eskew said in the interview.
However, Harps Foods has not only survived in such close proximity to its biggest retail competitor, it has thrived for 89 years and counting. One way the local grocer has established itself in its home state is by investing in local stores, renovating its format, and expanding its network.
“We just opened a new store in Lowell. Right now there is not a Walmart across the street, but I expect one at anytime,” Eskew revealed. “We had the audacity to put a store on Walton Avenue in Bentonville, and they put two other new stores around us, one just across the street.”
While Harps is clearly holding its own against its personal Goliath, that’s not to say it hasn’t faced any challenges—especially not in this heavily saturated retail landscape. In particular, Eskew noted that competing with Walmart for employees has led the local grocer to get creative with its workplace environment in order to differentiate itself.
“I will say the mantle of being the world’s largest retailer is very heavy to carry,” Eskew continued in the interview. “The responsibility of those who work for Walmart is great and requires a lot of time. We try and offer our management more life/work balance. I tell my management they can take off early to attend their child’s ballgame three hours away because no one can go for them. It matters, the time we spend with our kids and family. At the end of life, no one ever says I wish I would have spent more time at work.”
For more breaking grocery retail news from the front lines, keep following AndNowUKnow.
GOODLETTSVILLE, TN - While the discount retailer plans to increase spending on stores to draw in customers, its 2019 profit forecast fell below analysts’ expectation, sending shares down almost 6 percent.
"2018 was a great year for Dollar General and we entered 2019 with a strong foundation for success,"Dollar General Chief Executive Todd Vasos stated in a press release. "Looking ahead to 2019, we are excited to introduce two new transformational strategic initiatives, DG Fresh and Fast Track. DG Fresh, which is designed to enable self-distribution of fresh and frozen products, is already up and running in approximately 300 stores and Fast Track, which we believe will enhance in-store labor productivity and customer convenience, is launching soon. Our team is very excited about the future, and I believe we remain well-positioned to continue delivering best-in-class value and convenience to our customers and creating long-term shareholder value.”
In 2019, the company announced it would spend around $50 million in an effort to switch to self-distribution of fresh and frozen food, and improve shopping convenience and labor productivity, as reported by CNBC. In 2018, the company put efforts into remodeling stores, adding additional refrigeration units, and shortening lines at payment counters.
“It will allow us to control our own destiny in fresh foods,” Vasos said in a company corporate call this week. “Most notably, by distributing perishables ourselves, we can carry more of the fresh products and brands our customers want. These include better-for-you items and national brands. Today there are many items we cannot cost effectively procure through our current model. In addition, self-distribution will allow us to offer a wider selection of our own private brands to provide our customers with even more compelling value.”
The company also has plans in the works to open 975 new stores in the U.S. in 2019, as well as remodel 1,000 older stores to improve upon its checkout lines to increase impulse buys, according to CBS DFW. In 2018 the company opened 900 new U.S. stores, and 1,315 stores in 2017, showing a definitive growth trend.
Despite the 2018 fiscal year marking the company’s 29th consecutive year of same-store sales growth, according to the company’s fourth quarter financial report, Dollar General’s expected fiscal 2019 earnings fell below experts’ expectations. While the company reported its expected earnings as $6.30 to $6.50 per share, analyst estimates were at $6.65 per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
Some of the financial report highlights include:
- Fourth quarter net sales increased 8.5%; fiscal year net sales increased 9.2%
- Fourth quarter same-store sales increased 4.0%; fiscal year same-store sales increased 3.2%
- Fourth quarter diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) of $1.84; fiscal year diluted EPS of $5.97
- Annual cash flows from operations increased 18.9% to $2.1 billion
- $1.3 billion returned to shareholders in the fiscal year through share repurchases and cash dividends
- Board of Directors declares increased quarterly cash dividend of $0.32 per share; increases share repurchase program authorization by $1.0 billion
In the fourth quarter, while the company earned $1.84 per share, it missed the average analyst estimate of $1.88 per share.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom, though, as the company’s same-store sales rose 4 percent in the fourth quarter, beating the 2.6 percent estimate from analysts. One theory for the increase is that its customers received food assistance benefits early in 2019, resulting in more spending on groceries. Similarly, the net sales increase by 8.5 percent to $6.65 billion, beating analyst estimates of $6.61 billion.
According to CNBC, before the opening bell, shares were trading down at $113.98 per share, despite the company increasing its share buyback program by $1 billion and raising its quarterly dividend by 10 percent.
MOBILE, AL - Try to picture in your brain the amount of 80,000 pounds. It seems fairly impossible, doesn’t it? Now picture 80,000 pounds of fruit splashed across a highway, and your brain may have to do even more intellectual somersaults to conjure the image.
But that image wasn’t far off for some who witnessed a tractor-trailer carrying literal tons of fruit overturning, causing its contents to spill across the highway. It took crews nearly 11 hours to clean up the spilled fruit from the roadway and offload the overturned trailer.
According to a report from FOX10, the truck was traveling Eastbound Interstate 10 when it struck the inside of a retaining wall before the entrance of Wallace Tunnel. Parts of the trailer were sheared off by the wall, landing in the westbound lanes of I-10.
We are happy to report that the driver was relatively unharmed apart from several cuts to his arm, and no other injuries were reported by police.
Stick with us here at AndNowUKnow for the latest coverage in all things fruit and veg.
GUADALAJARA, MEXICO - For those of you heading down to Guadalajara for PMA Fresh Connections: Mexico, buckle up because the show is about to be out of this world! With former astronaut José Hernández set to take the stage as the featured keynote speaker, attendees can count on entering a new dimension of produce-thought, and they won’t want to be coming back down to earth afterwards!
“Our conference sessions and speaker lineup are impressive, and participants will learn from experts in their fields. We also can’t wait to hear what former astronaut José Hernández has to share with our industry about overcoming adversity and helping others to succeed,” said Nancy Tucker, PMA Regional Vice President for Latin America.
Hernández will kick the event off by presenting his keynote address, “The Star Harvester,” on May 29, prior to the opening of the expo. His address will touch on his story and a few of his accomplishments.
Hernández grew up in both Mexico and the U.S. and didn’t learn English until he was 12 years old. Growing up, he worked and harvested crops alongside his Mexican immigrant parents and other farmworkers. While in high school, Hernández began to dream of space flight after learning that Franklin Chang-Díaz had become the first Hispanic-American selected for NASA’s space program.
Hernández went on to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering, became an expert in X-ray physics, and worked at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Johnson Space Center, according to a press release. He applied to NASA’s astronaut program 12 times, finally receiving his acceptance to the astronaut candidate class in 2004. He then completed training in 2006 and served as a mission specialist in 2009 on the STS-128 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. He currently acts as an advisor to the Mexican Space Agency.
But voyaging on a space flight was not Hernández’s only goal. To fulfill his goal of giving back to the community, he founded the José M. Hernández Reaching for the Stars Foundation in 2005. The foundation educates students about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields as well as hosts STEM events and provides scholarships to ensure students can pursue STEM careers.
In addition to Hernández’s show-stopping address, Fresh Connections: Mexico will invite attendees to take part in a slew of activities over the course of its two days (May 29-30). On May 29, four retailers will share trends and tips for success and answer attendee questions in the education session “The New Retail World is Here.” In addition, the Center for Growing Talent (CGT) will host a Young Professionals Networking Coffee Hour. Lastly, the expo, which will feature fruit and veggie growers and solutions providers from 1:30 pm to 5 pm, will round out the action-packed day and include a networking lunch and evening reception.
The second day of the show, May 30, will open with a breakfast and another keynote presentation, titled “New Leadership and the Impact on Mexico’s Fresh Produce Industry,” which will explore political and governmental shifts and how they have impacted our industry. The expo will then open up for its second and last day and will be held from 10:30 am to 1:15 pm.
“Most of Mexico’s major retailers attend this event, offering an unparalleled networking experience. PMA Fresh Connections: Mexico does what its name says—it connects people with each other, opportunities, new products, information, technology, and more,” Tucker continued.
This year’s event marks Fresh Connections: Mexico’s 12th year in business, offering U.S. and Canadian buyers, Mexican supermarket retailers, and Mexican produce growers and business solution providers the opportunity to meet face-to-face and produce it up in Guadalajara—the first time the show has returned to the city since 2013.
For more information, or to register for Fresh Connections: Mexico, visit the event page on PMA's website.
WOODBURY, MN - I recently had the opportunity to speak with Christy and Chuck Krejci, Co-Founders of Vegetarian Traveler, to learn about the product line that’s helping vegans, vegetarians, and the health-conscious alike add plant-based protein to their diets and their stores’ departments.
As vegetarian eaters for nearly four decades, Christy and Chuck often struggled to find an adequate amount of protein while on-the-go, in social settings, or traveling. Their answer? Develop Vegetarian Traveler Protein Toppers®, an easy addition of 15 to 17 grams of plant protein to virtually any meal.
“Up until we introduced Protein Toppers®, there was not a product like it—where you could have 15-17 grams of protein and open up the package and drop it, really, on any type of food you’re eating—whether it’s a salad, yogurt, an entree,” Christy told me. “Our customers drop it on spaghetti, soups, sandwiches, stir fries, on cereals hot and cold. So, wherever you are, you can get that additional plant protein.”
Christy and Chuck let me know that, while the impetus behind the product seems intuitive, they waited nearly 20 years, thinking that the easy on-the-go protein addition was sure to come about any day. Eventually, the two decided, they would introduce the product themselves.
“We decided that, not only vegans and vegetarians, but also flexitarians and specialty groups like fitness enthusiasts and people with special medical diets want to eat more vegan or plant protein. We’re finding a wide range of groups, actually, that are interested in plant protein. It’s on-trend, as you know,” Christy explained. “So, a few years ago, we started in our kitchen. We came up with some recipes. We tested them on our family and friends, who we called our brave recruits.”
From those humble beginnings, Christy and Chuck would put together a Vegetarian Traveler’s Protein Toppers line that allows eaters to supplement their meals—without sacrificing taste—regardless of flavor profile or day-part.
“Our brand promise is that you can put it on almost any food and it works harmoniously. The trick was figuring out what’s going to work as well on top of a salad as it will on a stir fry as it will on top of a yogurt as it will on top of a cold cereal that you’re having for breakfast in the morning,” Chuck noted. “Until now very few people—probably nobody—would think, ‘Oh, I’ll put some roasted legumes and protein crisps on my breakfast cereal in the morning.’ That just doesn’t happen. But this food that we’ve created is so perfect for putting on top of a cold cereal—or an oatmeal.”
Vegetarian Traveler is currently available in three varieties—a Tri-Soy Medley, a Pepita & Soy-Pea Medley, and a Garbanzo & Soy Medley—to foodservice and retail customers—as well as directly, online. The company continues to produce product and is beginning to push into national retail markets and into colleges and universities—where Protein Toppers are fast finding traction with students embracing plant-based eating trends. Vegetarian Traveler products are currently available from UNFI and SuperValu.
“The product keeps up with all these trends: convenience, portability, very clean label,” Chuck explained. “It’s certified vegan, made with all non-GMO products (some organic ingredients), and all of them are naturally gluten free—just like avocados are gluten free. We just don’t engage in the use of products that contain gluten. We’re not grain-based in any way. And no nuts for that matter either. It is the easiest and most versatile way to add a lot of clean plant protein to any meal, anytime and anywhere!”
For more fresh food news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
VALENCIA, CA - Sunkist is packing its bags and bringing a bit of bright California sun to Eastern Canada this April. The marketing cooperative that offers more than 40 varieties of fresh quality citrus is gearing up to bring fresh California and Arizona-grown fruit to the 2019 Canada Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) in Montreal, Canada.
“For generations, our cooperative of thousands of citrus growers across California and Arizona have shared the highest quality citrus with the world,” said Christina Ward, Director of Communications. “Our fruit is eating great, and we’re excited to bring this experience and our excellent quality citrus to CPMA.”
According to a press release, Sunkist’s more-than 40 varieties include oranges, grapefruit, mandarins, tangerines and tangelos, lemons, and limes, with seasonal favorites including: Sunkist Navel oranges, Blood oranges, Sunkist Delite® and Gold Nugget mandarins, Cara Cara Navel oranges, lemons, Minneola tangelos, Ojai Pixie tangerines, and California Star Ruby grapefruit. All these and more will be featured and ready for tasting at the Sunkist “We Are Citrus” booth.
With California citrus season in full swing, Sunkist has a massive variety to choose from as a result. This season, Sunkist will offer customizable promotional and merchandising programs that support the ample volumes available.
“Our volumes are up across all citrus categories, and retailers have a great opportunity to promote their favorite varieties with a number of different marketing vehicles,” said Director of Retail Marketing Julie DeWolf. “Oranges, mandarins, and Minneola tangelos have larger crops with smaller fruit sizes, and as a result, it’s a great season to promote bagged citrus. We have the ability to cater to our customers’ unique needs, and we take this customizable approach to drive demand.”
Throughout the season, the strong need for juicy, sweet, and seedless Sunkist Navel oranges continues to increase, alongside its specialty counterparts, the Cara Cara Navel and Blood oranges. In addition, Sunkist fresh citrus will be available now through May, including Minneola tangelos, California W. Murcott and Gold Nugget mandarins, and Ojai Pixie tangerines. Sunkist typically offers limes and grapefruit all year-round and now the California Star Ruby grapefruit is available through October. Sunkist will be providing a spectrum of organic citrus as well.
CPMA attendees can visit the Sunkist “We Are Citrus™” booth (#1315) for a live demonstration by Chef Jill Davie, who will be preparing and sampling several varieties.