STELLARTON, CANADA - Anniversaries are important in our industry, whether it be celebrating the tenure of a company, the prestige of an event, or the milestone of a career. As we kick off 2019, we would like to congratulate Mike Venton, who is celebrating the culmination of his first year at Sobeys as the company’s GM of its FRESHCO formats and Fresh Food, nationally.
"It has been incredibly exciting for me to join and be welcomed into this great Canadian family-owned company. I am so appreciative of the opportunity and the Sobey family and employees are fantastic to work with," Mike shares with me on the recent anniversary. "The discount businesses I lead, FreshCo and Chalo, are on the verge of massive growth in Canada and I’m looking forward to seeing our discount brand across the country. The business has also asked me to help them in Fresh food, nationally. Fresh food is a passion of mine, and I see a lot of great opportunities here for Sobeys."
Mike brings a wealth of industry knowledge and experience to his role at Sobeys, having risen the ranks at Loblaw Companies Ltd. with roles that include Vice President of National Grocery Procurement, Senior Vice President of Fresh Food Discount/National Produce/Floral Procurement, and Senior Vice President of No Frills.
Congratulations, Mike, on this amazing first year with Sobeys! We are excited to see where you will take these formats in 2019!
ZAANDAM, THE NETHERLANDS - Ahold Delhaize is starting off 2019 with the acquisition of new talent in an effort to take its brand to new digital heights. As of January 28, Farhan Siddiqi will start as its new Chief Digital Officer and member of the Executive Committee. With a focus on data analytics, personalization, and loyalty, Siddiqi will supervise a transformation of the company’s digital presence and drive innovation across the company’s brands.
"I'm thrilled to welcome Farhan to Ahold Delhaize,” said Frans Muller, President and CEO, in a press release. “With his knowledge of the digital customer experience in a wide variety of industries, he will help further accelerate Ahold Delhaize's digital transformation, a key element in our Leading Together strategy. Farhan will drive best practice sharing in digital and e-commerce across our great local brands while leveraging our global scale, supporting us in doubling net consumer online sales to around 7 billion euros by 2021."
The new CDO brings a rich background, having launched customer loyalty programs, digital payment solutions, and strategic partnerships in his leadership positions at Target, Bank of America, and General Electric. His most notable and recent experience was as the CDO for McDonald’s, a role he held since March of 2017, after joining the fast-food chain in June of 2016 as Vice President of Global Digital Experience. Siddqi’s leadership had a direct and immediate impact, as he launched mobile commerce in 20,000 restaurants, a new mobile app, and upgraded the self-service ordering kiosk system, along with extending management capabilities and Customer Relationship Management capabilities.
AndNowUKnow will keep you updated on important personnel acquisitions.
MCALLEN, TX - While many of us mere mortals are already losing sight of the goals we’ve set for 2019—if this includes you, don’t feel bad! I’ve already forgotten the resolutions I outlined over the holidays—GR Fresh is proving those in produce are in a class of their own. Seven days in and GR Fresh is setting an all-time record for checking the boxes of its 2019 goals, which, in the words of Tony Incaviglia, VP of Sales and Marketing, mainly included getting back to being lean and mean.
“The last two winter seasons were very challenging due to oversupply and the lack of impactful demand. So, as a company, we felt it was a time to take a breather and get back to being lean and mean,” Tony shared with me. “We actually cut back our acreage by approximately 30 percent. We stuck with our staple items, Roma, round, and grape tomatoes, along with our cucumbers and green bell peppers. We took that mentality of ‘do a few and do them well.’”
Currently, GR Fresh is harvesting in the Culiacan and Los Mochis growing regions. Tony explained that early crops, like cucumbers, green bell peppers, and grape tomatoes, have been in production since late November/early December, while Roma and round vine-ripened tomatoes will be ramping up next week. In addition, GR Fresh is excited about its organic category, touting organic Roma, organic grape tomatoes, and organic mini sweet peppers as the crops to beat this season.
Tony also noted that while colder temperatures have presented a few challenges, GR Fresh has been able to deliver a consistently good-looking pack, provide good shelf-life, meet its retail specs, and fulfill order commitments.
“Weather has been a challenge to say the least. Cold temperatures have slowed growth significantly, and open field crops took a hit with possible long-term impact. As far as our supply goes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and green bell peppers, which are mostly shade house, hung in there this season, and we should not have any long-term issues,” Tony explained.
With temperatures in the region beginning to warm up to the mid to high 50s next week, GR Fresh is looking forward to setting the produce bar high in 2019,
For more on the latest happening crop-side, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
SPARTA, MI - One of Michigan’s preeminent suppliers of fresh Michigan apples, Riveridge Produce Marketing, has acquired the sales operation of Jack Brown Produce, adding new varietal availability, increasing volume by 50 percent, and effectively becoming a one-stop solution—providing quality Michigan apples year-round to its retail partners.
“With two strong, forward-thinking bases of growers, continued investments in new production, and a consumer-driven varietal mix, we look to solidify our role as Michigan’s fruit specialists,” said Don Armock, President of Riveridge Produce. “This is an opportunity to continue to share knowledge across our grower base and marry producers and customers based on their needs.”
In addition to consistent year-round availability, the company noted in its press release, Riveridge’s expanded sales organization will be better positioned to service retailers with quality fruit, expanded varietals, and pack to order solutions.
“Both Jack Brown Produce and Riveridge Produce have complimentary grower communities making this union a natural fit,” said John Schaefer, President of Jack Brown Produce. “We each have modern packing facilities and growers invested in the future, utilizing the latest growing techniques and moving forward on the varieties and strains that support today’s consumer preferences.”
Jack Brown Produce’s packing operation adds to the seven Michigan facilities packing for Riveridge Produce and will offer the company additional pack time during the critical fall time-frame. Newly acquired facilities will allow Riveridge Produce to provide its retailer partners with additional flexibility and a continuity program on Michigan apples.
Both organizations, the company noted, are supported with innovative, forward-thinking growers who have adapted to market needs, which have provided for the fruit in high demand today. Sharing data and relationships, the two brands hope to be an all-encompassing source—not just on fruit, but also marketing assets and analysis to help drive buying decisions.
For more on fresh fruit and veggie news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
BROOKLYN, NY - Wegmans is gearing up to open the first of three stores that are set to bring the Brooklyn-based retailer to entirely new markets in 2019. The company’s New York City debut at the Brooklyn Navy Yard is scheduled to open this fall, but moves are already underway to staff the store with approximately 500 new staff members, 150 of those being full-time positions. The additional two new markets Wegmans is scheduled to pop up in during 2019 are Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Raleigh, North Carolina.
“Here at Wegmans, you drive your own development and the opportunities are truly what you make of them. You are more than just a number. You are a family member who has a voice and an opportunity to do whatever it is you are passionate about,” said Kevin Cuff, the Store Manager for the new Brooklyn location. According to a press release, Cuff began working for Wegmans 21 years ago when he was just 16 years old.
The hype surrounding Wegmans Brooklyn location has been nonstop since the retailer announced its intentions to come to NYC in summer 2015. The location is set to be 74,000 square feet, including a second-floor mezzanine, a 100-seat in-store market café, and a full bar. Wegmans is carrying on its tradition of creating stores with a European open-air market feel, offering quality ingredients, thousands of organic options, and restaurant-quality prepared foods, all at low prices.
As we’ve previously reported, Wegmans consistently places on lists that highlight the best of the best employers in the country. In 2018, the company placed second on FORTUNE magazine’s list of “The 100 Best Companies to Work For.” The company has appeared near the top of the list for 21 consecutive years.
Will Wegmans make waves and rouse competitors in Brooklyn, Virginia Beach, and Raleigh this year? AndNowUKnow will share the latest.
LAKELAND, FL - Publix continues to expand its reach across the South, adding two more stores to its roster. The retailer has acquired the leases for two Western Market locations near Birmingham, Alabama, after Western Market announced it would be closing up shop. The location in Mountain Brook will open as a GreenWise Market, the retailer’s specialty, organic market; the Vestavia Hills location will open as a Publix. The acquisition is expected to close in March.
“Publix is always seeking locations where we can serve our customers and offer an exceptional shopping experience,” said Publix CEO Todd Jones. “This acquisition allows us to expand our presence in the Birmingham area, and we are very excited to bring one of our GreenWise Markets to this region.”
The two stores, and their expected opening times, are listed below:
- 1000 Jemison Lane, Mountain Brook, AL; expected to be open by the Q3 2019
- 3350 Morgan Drive, Vestavia Hills, AL; opening date not yet determined
“Western Market has been serving Alabama for 70 years,” said Western Market CEO Ken Hubbard. “I am happy to know our spirit of service, dedication to our people, and community involvement will continue through Publix. I believe this is the best grocer to serve our loyal customers into the future.”
According to a press release, the Mountain Brook location is the seventh announced GreenWise Market. The current Western Market store at the Vestavia Hills location will be torn down and turned into a 35,000-square-foot Publix.
For the latest in retail happenings, keep reading us here at AndNowUKnow!
NEW YORK, NY - Blue Apron may have started the year with a step in the right direction with its new food safety certification. The struggling meal delivery service was recently awarded certification under the Safe Quality Food (SQF) Food Safety Code for Manufacturing across its nationwide fulfillment centers in Linden, New Jersey; Richmond, California; and Arlington, Texas.
“Our customers trust Blue Apron to create and deliver high-quality meal experiences each and every time they cook with us,” said Brad Dickerson, CEO, in a recent press release. “Ensuring the safety and quality of our products is our highest priority as a business. We are proud to receive SQF Certification nationwide across our fulfillment center network, an achievement that reinforces our longstanding commitment to our stakeholders that our products are high-quality, safe, and trusted.”
The SQF Food Safety Code is an independent food safety standard administered by the Safe Quality Food Institute, and is recognized worldwide as one of the most exhaustive and uncompromising food safety and quality standards. Requiring producers to develop and implement a strict food safety system applied to every step of their supply chain, the SQF Certification ensures that products are produced, handled, processed, and distributed in accordance with some of the most rigorous standards in the industry.
AndNowUKnow will keep you updated on how this new certification will impact Blue Apron’s further development.
WATSONVILLE, CA - Consumers aren’t the only ones looking to be more environmentally friendly, with companies like California Giant Berry Farms making major sustainability strides. This year, the berry company is introducing a new sustainability initiative to not only be more conscientious of the environment, but also to increase efficiencies and profitability, reduce costs, and engage employees.
“This is a path we see the industry as a whole taking, and it’s one we are proud to be involved in,” said Nick Chappell, California Giant’s Director of Retail Sales. "When we heard from some of our key customers that increased on-farm sustainability and social accountability was something they wanted to see more of from their top berry suppliers, we listened and got to work. But not only that, we were eager to pave our own unique sustainability path with Measure to Improve.”
According to a press release, the conversation of sustainability first began over a year ago when California Giant met with Nikki Rodoni, CEO of Measure to Improve—a company with a vision to assist companies in the produce industry by providing tools, benchmarks, and guidance in documenting successes as they work towards sustainability and, ultimately, translating economic and environmental benefits between sellers and buyers.
California Giant’s new sustainability initiatives will focus on three key pillars—People (socially equitable), Planet (environmentally sound), and Profit (economically viable)—and will include an on-farm sustainability program with long-time strawberry grower Rich Uto to develop a how-to guide for its entire farming community; an energy efficiency project at its cooling facilities; and a zero-waste program at its headquarters. To hone in on the three P’s, implement these initiatives, and ensure all aspects of sustainable ag are being met as the company works toward being one of Zero Waste, California Giant plans to incentivize its employees during routine benchmarks and progress assessments.
“It’s not necessarily about ‘being green,’ it’s about being smart,” said Founder of California Giant’s internal ‘Green Team’ and Food Safety Manger Eric Valenzuela. “It’s about ensuring our employees are happy, ensuring we’re producing the best berries as efficiently as we can, and protecting our planet and future generations. We have started this sustainability journey, and it’s up to us to follow through and pave the way for others in the industry. We want to be better at being sustainable, not just in one category—but every category.”
The Green Team that Valenzuela leads consists of various employees from diverse departments, with each team member taking responsibility for representing the company’s sustainability efforts and serving as advocates to educate and encourage employees on recycling, zero-waste programs, and the California Giant Measure to Improve story. This includes meeting monthly to discuss progress, data and findings, and improvement for the future, according to a press release.
“Giving back to our community is part of the California Giant mission—it’s what we do on a year-round basis through various philanthropic endeavors,” says Valenzuela. “This is just another way we plan to give back to our communities. We strive to deliver quality berries, food-safe berries, and sustainable berries by using less water, energy and resources, while producing the same flavor and freshness our customers can count on.”
The produce industry prides itself on its dedication to giving back to its community, and California Giant Berry Farms is showcasing this in flying colors. With the goal of becoming fully sustainable by the end of 2019, how else will California Giant set the produce bar this year? AndNowUKnow will continue to bring you the freshest produce news.
SANTA CRUZ, CA - The team at fresh herb and veggie producer, Jacobs Farm Del Cabo, just got a little bit bigger. The organic and sustainability focused growers have hired David Arana as Strategic Sourcing Manager.
“I am deeply grateful to be joining the Jacobs Farm Del Cabo group,” Arana said upon his appointment. “The opportunity to contribute toward a conscious effort to create healthier soils, healthier plants, and healthier people is inspirational.”
The role of Strategic Sourcing Manager is newly created at Jacobs Farm Del Cabo, according to a press release, and entails responsibilities related to supply chain fortification across the company’s top commodities. Arana will also be tasked with leading strategic sourcing and growth in the company’s partner grower base, focusing on providing supply chain resilience in an industry and climate that is constantly changing.
“We are thrilled to have David lead our strategic sourcing efforts,” said Sarah Barber, Director of Planning. “David is not only a produce veteran, but he has the heart and soul to make a real impact in furthering the Jacobs Farm Del Cabo mission.”
Arana has garnered a wide array of experience throughout his over 20-year career, spanning supply chain management, logistics, and sourcing. Prior to this new position with Jacobs Farm Del Cabo, Arana was the Director of Supply Chain Development for DiMare International, and he has spent much time in the produce hub of Nogales, Arizona.
Arana now operates from San Jose del Cabo in Baja California Sur, Mexico, where he plans to remain committed to the pursuit of promoting organic food production and regenerative cultivation techniques.
Congratulations to the whole team at Jacobs Farm Del Cabo for this new, strategic addition!
ORLANDO, FL - Nothing screams new beginnings quite as much as citrus does. It’s fresh, bright, full of vitamins, and all around delicious. I spoke to Julie DeWolf at last year’s PMA Fresh Summit about how Sunkist Growers is getting in on the new beginnings action with updated designs.
“This year, we’ve decided to redesign our secondary display units, which we use in retailers all over the country,” Julie explained. “And the reason behind it is because we wanted to do a better job of unifying our look at retail so that we are undeniably recognized as Sunkist in the marketplace.”
The company created high-graphic, fruit-forward designs that focus on educating consumers so they know exactly what they’re buying.
“One of our special-themed marketing elements this year is our annual Lunar New Year carton. This year happens to be the Year of the Pig, so we have a beautiful, colorful, and custom 10-pound naval carton that is designed with the pig graphics and a matching display bin that can hold pummels, navals, and mandarins,” she concluded.
To learn more about this, watch our exclusive video interview above.