BENTONVILLE, AR - Walmart announced it will debut a first for its supply chain this July: a 340,000-square-foot high-tech consolidation center designed to revolutionize the way the company receives, sorts, and ships freight. The retailer has selected Colton, California, as the site for this automated facility that will enable three times more volume to flow and increase shipping accuracy.
“We’re going to make the regional distribution centers more efficient,” said Geno Bell, Senior Director of the Consolidation Center Network. “With this new technology, we can be surgical and responsive in getting merchandise into stores.”
According to a press release, the center, which will open with 150 full-time associates and scale up to more than 600 associates by 2021, can move three times as many cases as its counterparts. Walmart said this will be the most efficient consolidation center in its supply chain.
If you don’t know what an automated consolidation center is, you’re not alone! While Walmart has consolidation centers today, the process has been manual up to this point. Currently, suppliers must create and ship 42 separate orders and forward each to one of 42 regional distribution centers. The new system, according to Walmart, will enable suppliers to fill one massive order instead. The new software automatically and immediately scans and counts the product when it arrives and documents the information in Walmart’s systems, allowing the retailer to be nimble when order-filling issues arise.
And because the new center is also a warehouse, Walmart will be able to react quickly and move product faster. The retailer offers the example of, if there were to be an unexpected blizzard in the Northeast U.S., items like extra space heaters could be sent quickly from Minnesota to New England—potentially before a storm hits.
For more on state-of-the-art innovations in the retail and fresh produce industries, keep following us at AndNowUKnow!
SEATTLE, WA - Amazon seems like it has no plans to slow down its expansion of physical Whole Foods stores. In fact, a new report from Yahoo Finance suggests that Whole Foods may one day occupy any of 300-plus now-abandoned Sears and Kmart stores. According to the source, Whole Foods managers have begun visiting former sites that were once either Sears' stores or stores under the company’s Kmart banner.
“There are lots of vacant retail spaces that they can take advantage of, and that gives them access to reasonable retail locations, but I also think they want to secure good real estate deals by filling voids, and getting good rental levels from landlords,” Neil Saunders, Managing Director of Retail at GlobalData revealed to Yahoo Finance.
The source noted that just last month, representatives from Whole Foods visited a former Kmart site in Utah that was closed in mid-2017 when Sears’ financial struggles were at a high point. The location has remained vacant ever since. Yahoo Finance reported that Sears has not been been turning a profit in nearly a decade. Over the past three years, the company has closed 23 Sears stores and 205 Kmart stores—a national footprint Yahoo said covers broad demographics and allows for opportunity to scale quickly and at a low cost.
Whole Foods has yet to comment on this speculation, but Yahoo noted that, at just over 470 physical retail locations, the retailer is still far behind the numbers competitors like Walmart and Kroger have put up.
As more details on this potential new growth strategy are revealed, AndNowUKnow will keep you updated.
JALISCO, MEXICO - Creative pepper displays can earn cash in more ways than one—Oppy’s announcement on why retailers might want to “PepperUp” with Divemex is hard to pass up. The marketer and greenhouse vegetable producer is teaming up with its grower-partner to offer a display contest worth thousands of dollars in prizes early in the new year, an extra step up from the not-so-small fact that sweet bell peppers are among the most popular vegetables.
“Peppers are among the most eye-catching items in the produce department,” said Aaron Quon, Executive Director of Oppy’s greenhouse category. “We are encouraging our customers to drive sales by bringing their pepper displays ‘up’ in size, or in location, like moving the display ‘up’ to the front of the store or department. Another way to ‘PepperUP’ would be to include organic and conventional peppers on display or up-selling to a socially conscious consumer because all Divemex peppers are Fair Trade Certified.”
Divemex greenhouses are located in the states of Sinaloa, Nayarit, and Jalisco, Mexico, with its season spanning from late August through late May.
Calling the grower a pioneer known for growing beyond expectations, Quon said in a press release that “Divemex delivers exceptional pepper quality, appearance, and flavor, made possible by years of growing expertise and sophisticated production practices undertaken in high tech greenhouse environments.”
The company’s CEO, Luis de Saracho, added that the 2018-19 season is progressing well.
“With production in Culiacán entering the market now to supplement the supplies from our Jalisco and Nayarit greenhouses, we’re excited to see volume ramp up and make peppers plentiful for the display contest and more,” he stated; great news for the upcoming promotion.
Running from mid-January to the end of March, the Divemex “PepperUP” competition invites retailers to construct large, creative displays of Divemex-branded sweet bell and mini peppers in bulk and assorted pack styles. The builder of the top display will cash in on the $2,000 grand prize, while second place earns $1,000 and third will receive $500, the company said. The first 50 entrants can select from $25 Subway or Starbucks gift cards.
Winners will be notified on or before April 30, 2019.
To help, Oppy said it is offering bright, large-scale PepperUP point-of-sale signage to bring even more attention to the Divemex displays—a move that helps ring in not only prize cash, but register cash as well. Photo entries for the contest can be emailed to or uploaded at [email protected], along with the name of the produce manager and store, as well as an address, email, and phone contact information, as well as the nominee’s preference of Starbucks or Subway gift card.
Good luck to all who enter!
SANTA CRUZ, CA - I may be a typical California girl shivering at even the idea of today’s high of 53 degrees in Sacramento, but daydreaming about Jacobs Farm Del Cabo’s latest product is helping warm me up! The company’s Del Cabo brand has debuted the Cabo Diablo Hot Pepper Medley, an organic and Fair Trade certified 8 oz pack that marries “hot as hell” peppers with their more palatable pals.
“We developed this hot pepper medley to take advantage of the several medium-to-hot pepper varieties we grow and offer them in one package,” said Kyla Oberman, Marketing Manager. “This new pack provides those home chefs an ideal mix of medium-to-hot peppers to use in their culinary creations.”
According to a press release, Cabo Diablo Hot Pepper Medley includes such on-trend pepper varieties as habaneros, Brazilian starfish, serranos, and more. The company cited a 2017 Kalsec Consumer Trend Survey which stated that 48 percent of U.S. consumers prepare hot and spicy foods at home, and 43 percent choose the same when dining out. Talk about a hot category!
Each 8 oz retail bag is packed in a twelve count box which is available to retailers now.
PHARR, TX - Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller was sworn in yesterday, January 14, in a fashion that looked to highlight trade and immigration across the Texas border. The official chose to be sworn in at the Pharr International Bridge rather than in Austin—a first ever for the state, according to multiple reports.
“It’s a great day to be on the Texas border,” Miller said during his swearing in, as reported by KXAN. “I am honored to again take the oath of office to represent Texas as your Agriculture Commissioner for the next four years. I can think of no better place to accept this responsibility than here in the Rio Grande Valley, a region vital to the agricultural and economic future of Texas.”
The stage was surrounded by fresh Rio Grande Valley fruits and vegetables, to further emphasize the importance of trade between the two neighboring territories, according to the report.
"Today, for the first time in history, a Texas Agricultural Commissioner took his oath of office at a place other than the state capitol. Amidst the sounds of 18-wheelers and mariachis and the wonderful scents of both locally grown and imported fresh produce, the Texas Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) reelected Ag Commissioner Sid Miller was sworn in at the Pharr International Bridge in South Texas,” Dante Galeazzi, President and CEO of the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) shared with ANUK.
Dante said it was a tremendous honor for the produce industry and the local ag community to have Commissioner Miller sworn in at the import point, where he highlighted the economic importance of the region for its value in not just the domestic production of fresh fruits and vegetables, but also the role that fresh produce arriving from Mexico plays in the U.S.’s economy as a whole.
“Commissioner Miller mentioned that the TDA office was responsible for overseeing the $6 billion agriculture industry in Texas; an economic value that exceeds the budgets of some states,” he said.
Bret Erickson, Senior VP of Business Affairs for J&D Produce, Inc., echoed Dante's sentiments.
“The fact that Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller chose to be sworn in at the Pharr International Bridge sends a powerful message that Texas agriculture and international trade go hand in hand; that Texas and Mexico are partners who can and find ways to work together to achieve positive economic growth for our respective regions. Many Texas produce companies have a foot on both sides of the border and rely on imports as part of their overall business operations,” Bret shared. “Texas agribusinesses collectively import and export a tremendous amount of product. The fact of the matter is we live in a global economy and it is critical to our future success that we not only acknowledge that point, but embrace it in order to continue to grow and prosper. I look forward to Commissioner Miller’s continued emphasis on enhancing international trade opportunities for Texas agriculture for both exports and imports.”
Tamaulipas Governor García Cabeza de Vaca was present at the ceremony as well, speaking to the importance and strength of partnership between the two entities.
"Since the start of my tenure as Governor of Tamaulipas, we have worked hand in hand with the Texas Department of Agriculture and Commissioner Miller to increase trade that has greatly benefited producers and consumers. We look forward to continuing the close relationship we enjoy that is unique on the U.S.-Mexico border," Governor Cabeza de Vaca said, KXAN reported.
“Governor Cabeza de Vaca also spoke to how agriculture was vital to both our economy and that of states like Tamaulipas. He thanked Commissioner Miller for the partnership and friendship between Texas and Tamaulipas, and he also recognized that corridors such as the Pharr International Bridge are important to growing that relationship. That idea is something TIPA and our members can agree with wholeheartedly. The message is that the Tex-Mex corridor thrives on the partnership between the continued growth of Texas produce and the steady flow of Mexican-grown produce to keep our region an agricultural and economic hotspot," Dante concluded.
Is this a first in a series of moves to further highlight produce’s importance, nationally and internationally? AndNowUKnow is eager to see, so stay tuned.
LOS ANGELES, CA - In the icy grip of January, the fruitful bounty of the summer months can seem eons away, but for this fruit provider, the clock never stops on melon season. Though the chill winter months can put a damper on overall yield, Pacific Trellis/Dulcinea Farms perseveres and looks ahead to a plentiful season.
“Our current focus is on our personal-size mini seedless watermelon PureHeart®, from Mexico, along with our full-size seedless watermelon, SugarDaddy™,” says Thorsten Rhode, Senior Director of Marketing, in a recent interview. “Toward the end of January, we are also bringing back PureHeart Organic minis and will have limited quantities initially, then ramp up into February, March, and beyond.”
Winter weather conditions have impacted melon growth, and though improving, the rain and cold did initially lower brix levels. The cold of winter has also had an effect on crop yield, generally lowering volume, though consumer demand for melons remains strong. That, combined with a tight market, has led to prices at the upper end of what can be expected throughout winter months.
Though supplies are limited at the moment, the company anticipates ample volumes of its many melon varieties—including conventional and organic PureHeart mini-seedless watermelons, TuscanStyle™ Cantaloupe, and SunnyGold mini-seedless yellow watermelons—and will increase quantities above 2018 levels as the winter months wane. The melon producer has additionally kept retailers in mind when planning out the upcoming season.
“We realize there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’-package, so our approach varies by retail partner. 2019 programs for spring/summer/fall seasons are currently in development, and range from long-term contract pricing to in-store packaging solutions and online support,” comments Rhode.
With harvesting currently underway in Mexico, and domestic harvesting starting in May, the company is well-positioned to provide retailers with all their melon needs.
SACRAMENTO, CA - With each day the shutdown of the government continues, more and more questions are arising about how those of us in the produce industry will be affected—primarily in regard to food safety and the recent romaine outbreaks. Here to answer those questions and wave the all-clear is the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA). CEO Scott Horsfall and Chairman Steve Church joined in on the discussion.
“Government foods safety audits of leafy greens fields in the southern desert areas of California and Yuma, Arizona, are continuing as usual,” Horsfall confirmed. “These efforts are not impacted by the current government shutdown and, the leafy greens community continues to work diligently to protect public health.”
I repeat, the shutdown is not having an impact on efforts to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks on their farms, and leafy greens producers want consumers to know. And in truth, the industry has actually significantly stepped up efforts to improve leafy greens safety in response to the recent romaine outbreaks. All of us in produce remember last spring’s E. coli outbreak impacting romaine lettuce from Yuma, Arizona, and following that crisis, the LGMA added additional requirements to its program that call for enhanced irrigation water testing and increased buffers between large animal operations and leafy greens farms.
“The audits are conducted by government officials employed by the state departments of agriculture in California and Arizona who are not associated with the current federal government shutdown. This means that government audits are regularly taking place in leafy greens fields to verify farmers are following all 150 food safety checkpoints that are part of each LGMA audit. Each member of the LGMA is audited an average of five times during the year,” explained Horsfall. “These new requirements are part of the government audits taking place today.”
Horsfall added that the industry is continuing to examine its practices, and a group of industry experts is currently reviewing existing food safety practices—particularly those involving water testing—so that additional safeguards can be added to the program.
“The leafy greens community is fully committed to preventing future foodborne illness outbreaks. The LGMA program was created as a mechanism to enforce food safety practices throughout the industry,” added Church. “No one wants to prevent outbreaks associated with leafy greens more than we do. These recent outbreaks have been tragic for the people impacted by illnesses and costly to producers and our retail and foodservice customers. We are working as hard as we can to prevent these kinds of outbreaks from ever happening again.”
As a fellow advocate for the produce industry, I commend the LGMA and other stakeholders for all their hard work in fighting for food safety. As more information continues to roll out on how the government shutdown will impact the fresh produce industry, AndNowUKnow will provide you with the latest.
OXNARD, CA & CHICAGO, IL - After many years of active research on several new post-harvest shelf-life extension solutions for avocados, Mission Produce has announced a partnership with Hazel Technologies which has be in testing for over a year.
“This partnership demonstrates Mission Produce’s dedication to quality, innovation, and growth, and Hazel’s® commitment to post-harvest solutions in the produce industry,” said Steve Barnard, Mission’s President and CEO. “Our partnership with Hazel Technologies strengthens our position in the industry.”
As part of the collaboration, Mission Produce will continue to test (with the aim to integrate) Hazel Technologies' USDA-funded packaging solution across its global supply chain to reduce waste and shrinkage, according to a press release.
“We decided to collaborate with Hazel Technologies because in our initial year of testing, the company’s solutions proved to increase the shelf-life of both hard and ripe avocados, maintain and extend the internal quality of the fruit, and minimize the operational impact to the supply chain. However, the main benefit of the partnership is working together to reduce global food waste,” said Patrick Cortes, Senior Director of Business Development for Mission.
The company added that, in addition to enhancing the eating experience and shelf-life, it wants to reduce customer throwaways, in turn increasing profits, and ultimately drive category growth.
“Mission Produce is always looking ahead,” said Aidan Mouat, CEO and Co-Founder of Hazel Technologies. “Considering the demand for avocados, we could not have chosen a better partner.”
After over a year of research and trials with Hazel Technologies' packaging inserts, Mission Produce said it saw an increase in the shelf-life of both hard and ripe avocados when including the new technology. In several different settings, Mission Produce conducted studies using Hazel 1-MCP technology, and the results were consistent: the avocados experienced extended shelf-life and internal quality.
The technology, which is funded by the USDA, is a quarter-sized biodegradable and food-safe packaging insert that is placed in the box.
“Our premier technology effectively reduces waste and shrink in an easy-to-integrate fashion. Because of the packet’s ease of use, there is little impact to the efficiency of the supply chain,” Mouat said.
The packet can be applied in various environments such as at source, during packaging, or at Mission Produce’s distribution centers, the release said, combining to provide solutions in many aspects; shelf-life extension, ease of application, limited supply chain disruption, and an improved customer experience.
“Combining Hazel Technologies’ solutions with Mission Produce’s advanced avocado network means that together we can continue to provide the world’s finest avocados to consumers worldwide,” concludes Cortes.
As one of the world’s leading producers, distributors, and marketers of fresh Hass avocados, Mission noted that Hazel's collaboration confirms that the duo are eager to remain at the top.
SPRINGFIELD, IL - Produce industry veteran Brent Scattini is getting some new digs as we enter into 2019. The longtime sales and marketing expert will be joining Tom Lange Family of Companies’ Seven Seas branch as Vice President West Coast. In the role, Scattini will be tasked with overseeing the company’s California operations for both its citrus and strawberry categories.
“I am quite excited about my new role with Seven Seas. People are what make the difference, and our team of top notch professionals in our berry and citrus operations will prove pivotal as we implement our future growth initiatives,” said Scattini upon his appointment.
Scattini has worked in the produce industry for 28 years, according to a press release, focusing mainly on category management and program and marketing development. Before announcing his move to Seven Seas team, Scattini was most recently VP of Sales and Marketing at Mission Produce in Oxnard, CA.
“We are thrilled to have Brent lead our California operations,” said Greg Reinauer, Tom Lange’s President. “As we continue to develop grower relationships and expand the Seven Seas label, Brent’s depth and diverse experience will enhance our strategic efforts and sales management.”
Cheers to major new moves in the produce industry for 2019!
SANTA CLARA, CA - “New Year, New Me!” said Apio Inc.! At least, that’s how I imagine it going down. Landec Corporation’s Apio business has announced a new name change as we continue to make our way through January 2019, now going by the almost poetic “Curation Foods Inc.” According to the company’s updated moniker signifies its completion of a strategic transition from a fresh packaged vegetable company to a branded, natural foods company. Curation Foods will serve as the corporate umbrella for a portfolio of five natural food brands: Eat Smart®, O Olive Oil & Vinegar® premium artisan products, Now Planting® pure-plant meal solutions, and Yucatan® and Cabo Fresh® authentic guacamole and avocado products.
“The mission of Curation Foods is to provide access to fresh, delicious, plant-based foods made from 100 percent clean ingredients to as many people as possible in a way that preserves and protects our planet,” said Molly Hemmeter, CEO and President of Landec. “The Curation Foods name represents a vision and a set of values that are shared across all of our brands and throughout our entire company. Our employees have worked diligently over the last several years to expand our portfolio of natural products and build an efficient, fresh food supply chain that all of the brands can leverage to ensure high quality, 100 percent clean products reach the consumer in their freshest state possible.”
Landec has certainly taken an active stance to solidify is transition toward being a natural foods company. As we reported in December 2018, the company acquired Yucatan Foods, which added Yucatan and Cabo Fresh guacamole and avocado products to its portfolio. According to a press release, uniting each of Apio’s brands under the Curation Foods corporate identity is the final step in the company’s strategic transformation.
“We are reimagining the way fresh, plant-based foods are grown, prepared, delivered, and ultimately brought to the table,” added Hemmeter. “Curation Foods is uniquely qualified to deliver innovative, plant-based products for consumers throughout North America with a unified team of talented and passionate employees and a unique set of capabilities that has been cultivated over an extended period of time.”
“Curation Foods” was chosen to reflect a thoughtful culture, the company said, highlighting its focus on carefully selecting only all-natural, premium ingredients to create a collection of products that are both on-trend and make it easy for consumers to eat plant-based foods. Landec highlighted research showing that 17 percent of the U.S. population and 23 percent of the Canadian population are “plant-forward consumers” who prefer approximately 70 percent of their meals to include only plant-based ingredients.
“We are very excited about our new Curation Foods name and completing the transition of our food business from a produce business to a natural foods business. Curation Foods will continue to evolve and grow, focusing on and investing in developing profitable brands that meet the needs of consumers,” finished Hemmeter.
Congratulations to Landec and Curation Foods for the major refresh!