SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA - I love this time of year: love is in the air; spring is in the air, and now tomatoes are in the air! Not literally, of course. Jacobs Farm Del Cabo is experiencing record-high yields of organic sugar plum, cherry, rubies on the vine, and mixed tomatoes, which are available now through early spring from the company’s Del Cabo brand.
“We’re seeing great results out of the field with good quality and color,” said Skye Ogden, Director of International Farming. “Everyone is hustling during this busy time and all hands are on deck to ensure the best tasting tomatoes.”
According to a press release, this influx of organic product is being harvested throughout all of the company’s growing areas in Baja and Sonora, Mexico.
“With this surge of promotable volume, we encourage retailers to secure both impulse purchases as well as repeat sales through increased displays, co-merchandised with complimentary products such as organic avocados, mozzarella and balsamic, and in-store signage,” commented Kyla Oberman, Marketing Manager.
In addition to high yields of organic tomatoes, the company is also expecting increased volumes of organic Sugar Snap Peas and Snow Peas.
For the latest in fresh produce happenings, be sure to keep reading AndNowUKnow!
BENTONVILLE, AR - The world’s largest retailer has hit a stumbling block on its quest to surpass Amazon.com in the race to grocery delivery supremacy. Logistics firm Deliv has served Walmart a 90-day termination notice ending their same-day grocery delivery partnership.
The retailer has been amping up its presence in the grocery delivery scene, partnering with third-party delivery services in an attempt to reach consumers in 100 U.S. cities. This comes on the heels of failed partnerships with Uber and Lyft, Reuters noted, and ineffective programs using its own employees to make deliveries.
Deliv was one of Walmart’s earliest delivery partnerships, and had pilot programs in Miami and San Jose. The companies stopped working together in late January, which Walmart's Director, National Media Relations, Molly Blakeman, told Reuters was a mutual decision.
“As with any pilot, the intent is to learn,” said Blakeman. “And we ultimately came to the conclusion with Deliv that while their platform is a good delivery option, it was not the best fit for our program at this time.”
Deliv taps into networks of local freelance drivers to deliver products same-day for a fee, delivering to a wide range of retailers, including Home Depot and Kohl’s, in over 1,400 U.S. cities. In October of 2018, the delivery company raised $40 million in financing from investors including Alphabet Inc’s Google and United Parcel Service. The company signed up 20 new U.S. retailers in December 2018, including Nike and Nordstrom.
There were several issues that arose from the start of the partnership, Reuters noted. For one, order volumes were low in many markets, and orders had to travel long distances for deliveries, resulting in losses for both companies—though this was disputed by Blakeman. While Deliv can process and deliver thousands of orders every hour, the San Jose Walmart would sometimes generate only a hundred orders a week. Some sources reported that Deliv drivers often had to wait upwards of 40 minutes to collect grocery orders, partially because Walmart gives priority to customers over delivery drivers. Store operations were said to be a “huge problem,” and online orders could not be processed fast enough, Reuters reports.
Walmart has reported that it is still partnered with seven delivery firms, including DoorDash and Postmates, with same-day grocery delivery in 800 of its more than 5,000 U.S. stores and retailer clubs, with plans to add 800 more stores this year.
What does the future hold for Walmart and its same-day delivery plans? Keep reading AndNowUKnow for developing news.
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.
Rain in California Continues to Play Havoc on Markets
As the rain in California sees no end in sight, the markets continue their march higher. All commodities that are being grown in the coastal regions of California have seen excessive rain over the past month, leading to decreased supplies and major issues with quality. Strawberries, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, and celery have all seen prices rise again this past week due to the heavy storms over the weekend. And there is more rain to come this week.
Last Friday I spoke with John Krist, CEO of the Ventura County, California Farm Bureau, located in the county of Oxnard. According to John, “the biggest impacts from these rains is damage to ripe strawberries, which turn to mush when they get that wet and can’t be sold for fresh fruit. That damaged fruit ends up getting stripped and sold for juice or jam, which is a money-losing proposition at this time of year, but one that can’t be avoided—if left in the fields that damaged fruit will spread fungus”.
John also stated, “We also had harvest delays in just about everything, including citrus, which can’t be picked when wet. And there’s a heightened risk of fungal disease in vegetables, too, particularly celery”.
Lastly, John told me this: “It’s worth remembering, however, that this is what a normal year used to look like. Our frame of reference has been skewed by nearly 7 years of drought or below-average rainfall. Dealing with these issues is par for the course”.
In fact, this year's rain levels are higher than normal. The historical average combined rainfall for January and February in Oxnard, CA, is approximately 7 inches. Over the last 7 years or so that California has been in a drought cycle, the average combined rainfall for these two months is less than 4 inches. This year 9 inches of rain has already fallen in Oxnard, and we have two more weeks to go.
This next shot coming on Wednesday and Thursday will drop another 1.5 inches of rain and bring the total close to 11 inches. It’s no wonder harvests are being delayed.
You ask about Santa Maria and Salinas? They also will see another 1+ inches of rain this week.
Citrus—Freezing Temperatures in Central California
The National Weather Service issued freeze warnings for yesterday morning and this morning in the San Joaquin Valley as temperatures dropped below freezing for up to 6 hours the last two nights. Some locations, such as Visalia saw temps drop down to 28° Monday morning and 29° this morning. Please check with shippers of citrus to see how they may have been affected.
Rain and Heat Coming to Florida
Rain is coming to all current growing regions in Florida today.
From Plant City all the way south to Homestead, all growing locations can expect approximately .25 inches of rain today. Behind this storm, expect one day of cooler temps on Wednesday. Temperatures will drop by about 10–15° across the board tomorrow. Not to fret because on Thursday temperatures will be back to normal in the low 80°s during the day and the low 60°s at night. There is another opportunity for light rain on Friday and Saturday.
Starting Sunday, Florida will be feeling the effects of a heat wave. Up and down the state expect maximum temps close to 90° and min temperatures in the mid to upper 60°s. These temperatures will last at least through Wednesday of next week. Expect production to heavier as we head into next week.
Bloom Drop and Temperature Swings in Culiacán?
Some people in the industry are stating that the reduction in tomato supplies out of Mexico right now is due to bloom drop caused by the cold temperatures back in the late December. As you know, farmers are always tight lipped when talking about crop issues, so this is something I have not been able to confirm. What is certain is that supplies have tightened a bit and prices have moved off the minimum where they had been for the past several weeks.
Temperatures in Culiacán will get progressively hotter throughout the week, peaking this Friday with a max temperature of 94° and a minimum temperature of 61°. On Saturday, Culiacán will begin a cooling trend, and by Wednesday, February 20, they will see a minimum temperature of 50°. This should slow down production somewhat by the end of next week.
Thank you again for your support, and we will be back on Friday with another update.
MONTEREY, CA - In anticipation of the fourth-annual Organic Produce Summit (OPS), the organization has just announced six educational sessions that will take place at the event. The two-day event is designed to unite organic fresh produce growers, shippers, and processors with retailer and buying organizations from across North America. On July 10-11, over 1,400 attendees will meet to exchange ideas, information, and insight of the organic fresh produce industry.
The first session, set to be moderated by Mark Munger, Vice President Sales and Marketing for 4Earth Farms, is titled The Evolution of Wholesaler/Distributors of Organic Fresh Produce. The session will be focused on the changing role of wholesalers and distributors of organic fresh produce and its impact in providing fresh organic items to consumers worldwide. A panel of leading industry experts will be featured to offer information and insight on the evolution of wholesalers and distributors of organic fresh produce. Panelists include Elizabeth Nardi, CEO of The Organically Grown Company; Greg Kurkjian, Vice President and General Manager of The Crosset Company; and Mark Hill, Sales at Baldor Foods.
“The growing demand for organic fresh produce has led to an evolution of the role wholesalers and distributors across the country play in offering products to consumers,” said Munger. “Wholesalers have expanded their emphasis and focus in keeping up with consumer demand. The session will be an excellent chance for OPS attendees to hear how wholesalers from the West coast, Midwest, and East coast are adapting, expanding, and meeting the growing demands placed on bringing organic produce to retail outlets across the country."
Other educational sessions at OPS 2019 will include:
- Organic Sales Analysis and the Organic Consumer
- Tackling Food Waste—Good for the Planet and the Bottom Line
- International Insights and Trends on Organic Produce
- International Organic Produce Supply
- Organic Ready Meals at Retail
There will additionally be two keynote presentations featuring award-winning chef and author Dan Barber and organic consumer activist Robyn O’Brien, as well as a Retailer Roundtable including three of the nation’s largest and most progressive retailers.
OPS 2019 will also feature a gala opening night reception; a selection of field tours for retailers and buyers; and a trade show spotlighting 149 producers and processors of organic fresh producers from across the globe.
Limited registration is still available, so don’t miss your chance!
STEVENS POINT, WI - There’s only one thing worse than a thief, and that’s a potato thief! While it’s sort of maybe kind of not really understandable why someone would pilfer potatoes—I mean, have you tried one?!—we all know that justice is sweeter than any tasty tuber, and one spud swindler is about to find out just how sweet justice can be. Hopefully his appetite doesn’t only include starchy substances!
According to a report by Fox WZAW, Thomas Lundgren, the former owner of potato brokerage firm Spud City Sales, has been accused of failing to pay farmers and trucking companies across Wisconsin upwards of $700,000 and defrauding one farmer of $100,000.
The news source reports that he has been charged with 16 counts of theft, which he will go to trial for this week.
Will the brokerage bandit meet his match after attempting to steal away with hundreds of thousands of dollars in yams? Only time will tell.
For those of you with appetites whet for justice, keep following AndNowUKnow as we continue to bring you the latest produce plunders.
SALINAS, CA - If it feels like Naturipe Farms was just celebrating a centennial anniversary, it was! And as the company's strategy on how it will take on the next hundred begins to unfold, it is starting off with the debut of a whole new brand.
“We are extremely proud of our company’s history and feel that this brand refresh revitalizes us as we enter our next 100 years,” said Dwight Ferguson, President and CEO. “Growing the freshest berries has always been our priority, and it was time for us to prioritize our brand as well.”
What goes into something as vast as a rebrand, especially within a company that has operations going as far back as more than 100 years? Naturipe Farms Vice President of Marketing, CarrieAnn Arias, said it was definitely not an overnight decision.
“Over the past year, we conducted a combination of quantitative and qualitative market research studies to determine what Millennials and the next generation of berry-buyers wanted from their brands,” CarrieAnn explained. “With these younger customers poised to be the largest consumer group in history, it was important for us to ensure Naturipe Farms’ brand refresh spoke to this demographic.”
The result, CarrieAnn and her team said, is a sleek new look that highlights its long heritage, introducing itself to younger demographics while maintaining a connection with its established customer base.
“It was really important for us to ask our customers directly about all aspects of our brand. We want to talk with—not just to—our customers. We want Naturipe Farms to be relevant to berry-buyers for the next 100 years, and we committed to listening to them,” CarrieAnn shared, detailing that the berry producer executed a 5-phase consumer research study of nearly 4,000 participants in the U.S. and Canada.
“Through the company’s market research, the consumers have spoken, and Naturipe Farms’ investments in innovation and R&D going forward will help ensure the brand evolves with changing customer priorities,” she said. “With these combined efforts, the company intends to make the next hundred years every bit as successful as the previous hundred.”
Naturipe Farms’ new design elements are already rolling out in grocery stores and will continue to do so over the next several months, including new packaging, in-store merchandising, and a new logo that showcases its fresh “Farmed fresh since 1917” tagline.
And there is more already planned in the way of new packaging and beyond. Naturipe Farms said this refresh offers more than a new brand, that it will reinforce focusing on the company’s three core principles; farmers, quality, and heritage. As part of the company’s Cultivate with Care™ initiative, it has committed to conducting business in a way that minimizes environmental impact. Not only is it exploring eco-friendly packaging in hopes of being a leader in sustainability practices, but also researching multiple areas of better practice in its business like water conservation and natural pest management. Read more about the new look and all that comes with it here.
With over a century of growth built by generations of growers, this looks to be an exciting reintroduction—celebrating Naturipe’s past while promoting its future.
OXNARD, CA - Mission Produce recently announced the expansion of its sales department. In order to support its growth, Mission created a business development sector, hired a new Senior Director of Sales, and increased its foodservice division.
“We expanded and restructured our sales team to better serve our customer base,” said Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Ross Wileman, in a recent press release. “Mission Produce added foodservice sales staff and created a business development sector under the supervision of Patrick Cortes. He will continue to build and maintain relationships with our North American customers. We also are proud to announce the return of Stephen Fink as he assumes the role of Senior Director of Sales.”
The press release noted that this will be Fink’s second run at Mission Produce. Fink originally served as a Sales Representative but was promoted to Director of Sales in 2017. For the past year, Fink worked at LGS Specialty Sales as an Avocado Category Manager where he sourced, transported, and sold avocados, in addition to other fruit.
“Mission Produce’s domestic and global network is astounding,” stated Fink. “This opportunity was right for my return. I am fortunate to join Mission Produce as the sales team develops to meet industry needs.”
Fink will be responsible for providing pricing guidance, reviewing forecast numbers, and working closely with national retail accounts.
“All of these changes helped strengthen our sales pipeline. I am excited to watch Mission Produce experience an even greater level of success in response to these strategic organizational changes,” concluded Wileman.
Congratulations from all of us here at AndNowUKnow on this next step in Stephen's career.
WASHINGTON, DC - The Center for Food Safety (CFS) has filed a new legal action asking the USDA to prohibit hydroponic operations from the Organic label. CFS says that “Hydroponic production systems”—or food production methods that do not use soil—do not meet federal organic standards and violate organic law.
“Mislabeling mega-hydroponic operations as ‘organic’ is contrary to the text and basic principles of the organic standard,” said George Kimbrell, CFS’ Legal Director, in a press release. “Right now there is a pitched battle for the future of organic, and we stand with organic farmers and consumers who believe the label must retain its integrity.”
In a statement, CFS contends that organic agriculture is tied inextricably with soil, fostering soil fertility, improving soil quality, and using proper tillage and crop rotation within the soil. CFS also pointed out that the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), a body assigned by Congress to advise USDA on organic matters, recommended that the agency prohibit certification of hydroponic systems. Canada and Mexico also prohibit hydroponics from organic, and the European Parliament voted to end the organic certification of hydroponic products in April 2018.
“Allowing hydroponic systems to be certified as organic undercuts the livelihood of organic farmers that take great lengths to support healthy soil as the bedrock of their farms,” added Kate Mendenhall, Director of the Organic Farmers Association. “Hydroponic producers getting the benefit of the organic label without actually doing anything to benefit the soil undermines the standard and put all soil-based organic farmers at an untenable economic disadvantage.”
Mark Kastel, Executive Director for the Cornucopia Institute, also commented, explaining that the effort to “water down the organic standards” has been a focus of corporate agribusiness lobbyists for decades.
“In this case, the careful stewardship of soil fertility is not only a philosophical precept, it's codified in federal law,” Kastel added.
Will this legal action sway the tides of the USDA’s ruling on hydroponics? AndNowUKnow will be monitoring this as the conversation progresses.
LOS ANGELES, CA - In the cold of winter, it can be hard to think about produce. What could be growing when it’s this frigid out? However, not everyone has winter blinders on like I do. 4Earth Farms LLC has announced a year-round expansion of its Organic and Conventional Mini Sweet Pepper and Mini (Persian) Cucumber programs. Way to go, 4Earth, for seeing through the frost and focusing on greener pastures.
“Retailers have come to depend on 4Earth Farms to keep their shelves stocked year-round for all the organic and conventional SKU's we offer,” said Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Mark Munger. “This consistency in quality, price, and supply does not happen without lots of planning, collaboration, and partnership. By expanding and diversifying our growing regions and grower partners on programs like Mini Sweet Peppers and Mini Cucumbers, we can manage through the occasional crop failure, foul weather event, or short market and still keep our retailers shelves well supplied.”
The company saw a great reaction to its limited program of Organic and Conventional Mini Sweet Pepper and Mini Cucumbers, initially launched in 2018. In response, 4Earth will meet retailer and customer demand with the establishment of new dedicated acreage throughout California, Baja California, and Sinaloa, Mexico, for its 2019 growing season.
Customers are easily enticed by the bright green, recyclable zipper pouch bags, which come in one and two pound sizes, offering up versatility and convenience.
The year-round expansion is sure to have shoppers salivating over the unfettered access to these baby pepps and cukes.
For more produce news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
RICHMOND, VA - I dare you to come up with a better experience than biting into a perfectly ripe, greenhouse tomato. Struggling to come up with an alternative, aren’t you? I spoke to fellow tomato-aficionado, Anthony Otto, Sales Manager of Magic Sun Tomatoes, to learn more about the company’s programs, varieties, and more.
“We currently harvest organic beefsteak and organic TOVs, and we will begin harvesting organic grape tomatoes in June,” Anthony began. “We have four different USDA organic-certified greenhouses, all in Central Mexico. Two are in Zacatecas, and we have one in Jalisco and one in Querétaro. We are growing conventional TOVs, Beefsteak, and Cocktail tomatoes right now, and we'll start up grape tomatoes this fall.”
I asked Tony why Magic Sun decided to expand the organic program, and he explains that the decision was one borne out of a commitment to bringing the best tomatoes possible to market.
“We grow in greenhouses where we control every element of the temperature, atmosphere, and nutrition,” he explained. “Obviously the organic products require constant vigilance in order to maintain great quality, and over the last few years, I think we've made a lot of progress in improving the duration, quality, and yield of the organic plants. This is one of the reasons why we are starting up the organic grape tomatoes. We feel very confident in our core competencies, and we are excited about expanding!”
After seeing a strong market in December and January, Tony told me that coming into February, additional round tomatoes from Mexico have hit the market, which caused a slight dip. This is a very seasonal pattern, he assured me, and one that doesn’t affect the company’s commitment to being a year-round grower.
“When it comes down to it, we are the farm, and we diligently control the quality and freshness of our tomatoes, starting with the seeds in our nursery. It's a big responsibility,” he said. “We're proud of the work we do, and I think the quality of our tomatoes speaks for itself. Our high elevation locations allow for strong levels of sunlight, but also cool temperatures at night, which present the best conditions for the development of sugars in the tomatoes. Our locations, coupled with the greenhouse technology, have enabled us to grow tomatoes year-round.”
Not only does it show this kind of commitment to its customers, Magic Sun maintains that dedication in retaining loyal employees, reducing its environmental footprint, and becoming a socially-responsible company.
“A couple tools we use to continue pushing those initiatives forward are the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) and GAP Risk Assessment for Social Practices (GRASP),” Tony shared with me. "And finally, we have a huge advantage because of The Koppert Rapel Research and Training Center (CEICKOR). CEICKOR is one of our farms, but also a university and R&D center and the leading protected horticulture program in Mexico. CEICKOR University has full-time students working towards an engineering degree in greenhouse management. CEICKOR is not just a great source of R&D for Magic Sun; we are also training the next generation of greenhouse leadership in Mexico and internationally.”
As Magic Sun continues to increase its acreage and expands its portfolio, it's proving that it's a company to watch.