SEATTLE, WA - Amazon’s latest venture shows yet more interest in fresh produce and boosting consumers’ taste for them. The cyber retailer has a new patent to digitally recommend gardening items for consumers looking to add a home touch to their salads, enabling shoppers to take photos of their gardening projects to upload with additional notes for Amazon recommendations.
“For example, image and non image data about a garden may be received and analyzed,” the company patent states in its abstract for its Garden Service. “Identification of garden items from the garden and related constraints may be determined accordingly. The identifications and the constraints may be used to recommend uses of the garden items and/or to recommend additional garden items that may be ordered and used in conjunction with garden items.”
With capabilities like identifying plants growing in the garden, as well as possible impediments, the Garden Service provides the added ability of providing recipes matched with those items. The technology can also, according to the patent, assess the gardening parameters and then generate a model for the garden that identifies the current plants and constraints for new plants for the user.
Farmville in your backyard, anyone?
The retailer notes that a network-based resource may provide a user experience “unmatched by a traditional brick and mortar store,” and could give a broader base working with different suppliers.
“For example, the network-based resource may offer a larger and more diverse selection of items. Further, for some of the items, there may be a number of sellers with different offers. As such, a consumer may not only obtain items from an available rich selection, but may also obtain the items at the most convenient offers,” the patent notes.
Amazon provides a full breakdown and diagram of the Garden Service in its patent filing here. With more and more facets of its business reaching into fresh produce and food services, AndNowUKnow will keep an eye out for the latest.
GOODLETTSVILLE, TN - Buzz surrounding Dollar General’s high-growth strategy has been loud over the past few fiscal years, and it looks like 2018 will be no exception. In a release touting the retailer’s double-digit sales increases during its Q3, CEO Todd Vasos reaffirmed Dollar General’s plan to continue investing in new stores and remodels.
"We remain excited about the future for Dollar General,” said Vasos. “For fiscal 2018, we have plans to execute approximately 2,000 real estate projects comprised of 900 new stores, 1,000 store remodels, and 100 store relocations. We continue to believe that investing in the business through our high-return new store growth is the best use of our capital to help drive long-term shareholder value. Our new store growth is complemented with a significant increase in our store remodel program from fiscal 2017 that we view as an investment to enhance and consistently deliver on our brand promise to help our customers save time and money every day.”
And with the help of this strong quarterly report, it looks as if Dollar General will be well-prepared to take on the 2,000-project challenge. Q3 net sales increased 11.0 percent, reaching $5.90 billion. This is up from Q3 2016’s sales number of $5.32 billion. The company noted in its release that this increase in sales was positively affected by sales from new stores, and modestly offset by sales from closed stores.
"We are pleased with our overall third quarter results, which include a strong same-store sales growth of 4.3% and increases in both average transaction amount and customer traffic over the 2016 third quarter,” Vasos said. “During the quarter, we effectively balanced our same-store sales growth while achieving gross profit rate expansion and continuing our planned investments in the business.
In addition to the sales increase, the following other areas were highlights of Dollar General’s Q3 financial report:
- Gross profit, as a percentage of net sales, was 29.9 percent in the 2017 third quarter, an increase of eight basis points from the 2016 third quarter
- Net income was $253 million, or $0.93 per diluted share, up from $235 million, or $0.84 per diluted share, in the 2016 third quarter
- Total additions to property and equipment in the 39-week period ended November 3, 2017 were $489 million
- The Company opened 1,044 new stores and remodeled or relocated 719 stores. The new store growth includes the rebannering of 263 store locations acquired in the second quarter of 2017
AndNowUKnow is keeping a close eye on Dollar General as it seeks to take over U.S. soil with new and remodeled store locations. Stay tuned for continued updates!
DELTA, CANADA - Caroling is not the only way people are teaming up this holiday season to bring joy to those around them. Village Farms and Produce for Kids joined forces to bring consumers a multi-faceted campaign that includes a blog and four recipes that will offer visitors simple, easy, and delicious ways to incorporate fresh produce into their holiday spreads. Through their campaign, the two will be collecting market research data with three separate giveaway prizes that will go through the blog and social media push.
“The holidays are a time when friends and family of all ages are coming together to cook, eat, and spend time together,” said Helen L. Aquino, Director of Brand Marketing & Communications for Village Farms, in a recent press release. “We wanted to create healthy holiday recipe options incorporating tomatoes that would appeal to the whole family.”
With this campaign, the two are hoping to highlight the versatility of healthy options, like Village Farms’ year-round item Garden Fresh Flavor® tomatoes, which bring to meals during the cooler months. This tomato variety, for example, can be cooked, grilled, or roasted—whatever your heart desires! Recipes in the series include Sinfully Sweet Campari® puff pastry appetizers, Cabernet Estate Reserve® mini quiche, True Rebel Mix® mini pizzas, and a Heavenly Villagio Marzano® Rudolph grilled cheese sandwich.
“Increasing consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is of paramount importance to us,” said Amanda Keefer, Director of Marketing Communications for Produce for Kids. “This series of recipes will do just that, and the fun activities will engage and encourage kids to eat their vegetables during a time when candy and cookies generally rule.”
The blog is accessible on both organizations’ websites, www.produceforkids.com or www.villagefarms.com. Consumers can join in on the fun by entering to win prizes—all in an effort to support food security and help prevent hunger!
While that’s enough to make any holiday season seem warmer, Produce for Kids is also celebrating its shop going live. Now that it is up-and-running, it will showcase the organization’s team, bloggers, and registered dieticians to offer visitors selection with wisdom backing it up! On top of the exciting debut of its shop, the organization is also excited to announce its upcoming initiative, Get Re-Inspired with the Power Your Lunchbox Promise, which will be rolled out later this month.
How will this collaboration, launched shop, and upcoming campaign inspire consumers this holiday season and beyond? AndNowUKnow will keep you up-to-date with the latest fresh produce industry news.
AVONDALE, PA – To-Jo Mushrooms is embracing “The Spirit of Yes” this season and working with its partners in produce to drive sales and grow the mushroom category.
I recently had a chance to chat up Peter Wilder and find out more about To-Jo’s collaborative and innovative attitude to mushrooms.
“To-Jo is focused on customer service; We treat all of our customers as a partner,” Peter explains. “It’s in our mission statement—‘The Spirit of Yes.’ To-Jo believes on finding solutions for our customers, and then working together to collaborate and come out with a new product or a new promotional program that helps support those goals…we are always looking for that next innovation.”
Peter tells me that To-Jo is seeing growth throughout the category—particularly with brown mushrooms like To-Jo’s 16 oz and 20 oz baby bellas, and with The Blend becoming more mainstream, he tells me, the category is primed to continue driving sales in produce departments and foodservice venues.
“We’re seeing more culinarians and chefs using [mushrooms] in videos, and in restaurants the menu mentions are way up as well,” Peter adds.
For more, watch our exclusive interview with Peter above.
And for more produce news, stick with AndNowUKnow.
WENATCHEE, WA – While the big rivalry game between the University of Washington and Washington State University, known as the Apple Cup, is long over, those of us in the produce industry still have our own, actually produce-related Apple Cup to look forward to. Sponsored by Stemilt for the second year in a row, Peirone Produce and its partner retailers located in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana were on the hunt for the biggest increase of apple sales, both at the retail level and within Peirone internal sales, during the month of October, and the results are finally in!
Last week, Peirone President Mike Kamphaus and Stemilt Marketing Director Roger Pepperl delivered the awards and named the two winners and 6 runner-ups at Peirone offices in Spokane, Washington. Traveling from Kamiah, Idaho, to take home the grand prize for the Retail category were Cloninger’s Harvest Produce Manager Amanda Robnet and owners Jerry and Betty Cloninger. For the Sales category, Angie McInnis of Peirone Prouce was named the grand prize winner. All grand prize winners received the official Apple Cup trophy along with a Yeti cooler.
The runner-ups for the Retail category and winners of a Kindle Fire were Barney’s Harvest Foods in Orofino, ID; St. Marie’s Harvest Foods in St. Maries, ID; and Glenwood IGA in Orofino, ID. While the runner-ups in the Sales category and winners of a Kindle Fire were Jim Smith, Ken Brown, and Larry Gilbert.
“The Peirone Apple Cup contest was a huge success and it’s smart of Peirone and its partner retailers to use friendly competition as a way to ignite apple sales of both bulk apples and Stemilt’s Lil Snappers® kid-size 3lb. apple program across the Northwest during October National Apple Month celebrations,” said Pepperl as he delivered the awards with Kamphaus, according to a press release.
Congratulations to all the winners from all of us at AndNowUKnow!
For more on what’s going on in the produce world, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
WENATCHEE, WA - A new face is joining the ranks of the CMI Orchards team, with the company announcing Doug Culbertson will be its new Food Safety Manager. Now tasked with overseeing food safety managers at CMI’s seven packing facilities in Washington State, the company sees Culbertson working to continuously improve its food safety initiatives.
“I’m truly excited to join CMI,” said Culbertson upon his appointment. “CMI has a strong track record in food safety and well-established protocols and procedures. I’m looking forward to working with the CMI team to ensure that our products always meet the highest standards in the industry.”
Culbertson, who will be assuming the food safety position previously held by the soon-retiring Bob Carter, previously held the role of Quality Assurance and Food Safety Manager at National Frozen Foods. Culbertson also has a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science from Ohio State University.
“We’re delighted that Doug is joining the CMI family,” shared company President Bob Mast. “CMI is absolutely committed to food safety, and we believe Doug’s wealth of experience will keep us at the forefront of these initiatives.”
In a press release, Mast also noted that food safety programs in the apple industry have taken on renewed urgency over the last several years, further explaining, “We know that our relationship with our retail partners and consumers rests in delivering safe and healthy products every single day. There are no exceptions.”
With Culbertson leading CMI’s food safety mission, 2018 looks to be a banner year in the making for the apple company. AndNowUKnow will keep you updated with the latest on food safety initiatives and beyond!
LOS ALAMITOS, CA – Hot offerings from the Southern Hemisphere are here to warm up our Northern Hemisphere holidays, and Frieda’s Specialty Produce's South African-grown lychees are sure to brighten up and lend a unique twist to holiday spreads with their fragrant sweet-tart flavor.
“Getting lychees this time of year is an absolute treat and they will be quickly snapped up by shoppers as an impulse buy,” said Alex Berkley, Senior Account Manager. “And because they tend to be a limited-supply and hard-to-find fruit, shoppers do not mind paying a premium for them, especially during the holiday season.”
Frieda’s is now offering lychees to customers in 10-pound bulk cartons and also 12-ounce clamshells aimed at reducing shrink and leakage.
According to Frieda’s press release, fresh lychees have traditionally been available in spring and early-summer from the Americas, and contra-seasonal availability has opened up additional sales opportunities for retailers during the holiday months. Since South African lychee import to the U.S. was permitted in 2015, the company has distributed increasing volume and expects this season to be the best yet—with supplies through January.
Frieda’s also notes that Chinese New Year—beginning on February 18th—is a great target for retailers—and advises customers to stock up on supply in January to help create more sales. Furthermore, the company notes, the fruit’s popularity has grown in recent years, expanding from its traditional demographic to include culinary enthusiasts and millennials.
Frieda’s recommends displaying fresh lychees under refrigeration to extend shelf-life.
For more news on seasonal offerings in the fresh produce industry, keep following AndNowUKnow.
ROSEMONT, IL – US Foods’ current President and Chief Executive Officer Pietro Satriano has been appointed Chairman of the Board, after serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of the company and as a member of the Board of Directors since July 2015.
“On behalf of the board and management team, I’d like to thank John, Rick, and Nate for their significant contributions to US Foods. Their counsel and support have been invaluable in shaping our company’s success,” said Satriano, who joined US Foods in 2011, in a company press release. “I am honored to be appointed Chairman and want to thank the board for the opportunity. I look forward to collaborating with the board as we continue to execute our Great Food. Made Easy. strategy.”
In addition, current Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee for US Foods and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tech Data Corporation, a wholesale technology distributor, Robert “Bob” Dutkowsky has been appointed Lead Independent Director after becoming a director of the company earlier this year.
“In my new role, I remain committed to promoting sound governance practices and helping US Foods drive continued growth and value for our customers, employees, and shareholders,” said Dutkowsky.
After announcing the opening of its secondary public offering of 39,955,545 shares of common stock, which also included the repurchase of 10,000,000 shares of common stock, last week, US Foods also announced yesterday that this public offering is now closed.
Congratulations, Pietro Satriano and Robert Dutkowsky, and good luck in your new roles.
For more produce industry news like this, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
MCALLEN, TX – As 2017 comes to a close, the new year once again provides opportunities for those in the produce industry to break into new markets and build off of existing programs. Looking to 2018 to continue the expansion of its western veg, value-added, and organic programs, GR Fresh’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing Tony Incaviglia shares the company’s goal to continue to make a place for itself in the U.S. market and the status of the upcoming winter transition.
“We’re traditional farmers at heart, and in the past, we grew to provide quality and consistency, and then we concerned ourselves with who and where to market our goods,” Tony tells me. “However, we’re evolving our focus, developing true partnerships and relationships that include custom growing, and providing more value-added items to meet that rising demand in the market. We also have an opportunity to develop our western veg program—there’s a lot of potential for western veg out of this part of the country.”
Expanding categories like iceberg lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, romaine, and red and green leafs, GR Fresh is looking to western veg to provide more value and consumer options under its brand name as it spreads to additional U.S. retailers.
With a vision to be a sustainable industry leader, GR Fresh is not only meeting retail and consumer demand by expanding its organics program, but also illustrating its deep-rooted respect for the environment, its employees, and its neighboring communities.
“Currently, demand for organically produced goods continues to show double-digit growth, which is providing market incentives for farmers across a broad range of products. Organic sales account for over 4 percent of total U.S. food sales, so it is just good business sense to want to be a part of such a dynamic category,” Tony adds.
The USDA organic sticker increasingly found on GR Fresh’s produce is a product of the good relationships the company has in place. Currently, GR Fresh is transitioning selections like bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and more, with some options like grape tomatoes currently in the third and final transition year in the process of becoming certified organic.
Also in transition is GR Fresh’s winter harvest, which will be occurring over the next thirty days, from Torreon growing region to Culiacan and other surrounding Mexican regions.
“Right now, we need Mother Nature to step in, and so far she has,” Tony says. “Weather has been really good with no hiccups. It was a little warm there for some time, around the 90s, but it's settled down now to comfortable growing temperatures.”
This year, Tony expects several million cartons of tomatoes and veg items, including Roma, round and grape tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash, will be grown, packed, and shipped to GR distribution locations and sold throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
With the transition happening soon, keep your eyes peeled for GR Fresh’s expanded western veg, value-added, and organic and conventional products as it looks to compete in the U.S. market. And kick off the upcoming New Year with the flavors of Mexico with GR Fresh’s many varieties!
For more on the happenings within the produce industry, stay up-to-date with AndNowUKnow.
IRVINE, CA - For many members of the produce industry, January 1st, 2018 will not only bring cause to celebrate the New Year, but also cause to take a look at the changing minimum wage laws that may affect their businesses. In an effort to educate members of Western Growers, the Association’s Vice President & General Counsel Jason Resnick compiled a list of legislation that will affect employers in California, Arizona, and Colorado starting next month.
"With annual minimum wage increases, the erosion of the agricultural overtime exemption [in California], rising healthcare and workers’ compensation costs, and expanding regulatory burdens, many farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with other states and other countries," Resnick tells me. "Farmers are price takers, not price setters—they can’t raise their prices to cover significantly higher employment and regulatory costs."
Below is Resnick's breakdown of how the minimum wage laws will affect Western Growers members in the following states:
California
In 2016, SB 3 was signed to gradually increase the minimum wage in California to $15 per hour by 2022. Beginning January 1, 2018, employers with 26 or more employees will be required to pay non-overtime-exempt employees $11.00 per hour while businesses with 25 or fewer employees will have to pay their non-exempt employees $10.50 per hour.
The increased minimum wage rate also impacts the salary thresholds for exempt executives, administrators and professionals under California law, increasing it to $45,760 annually for employers with at least 26 employees, and $43,680 for employers with 25 or fewer employees. Employers should also be aware that a number of cities, such as San Francisco, Emeryville, and Oakland have higher minimum wage rates than the state.
Arizona
Under Proposition 206, the Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act, Arizona’s minimum wage will increase to $10.50 per hour on January 1, 2018; $11.00 per hour in 2019; and $12.00 per hour in 2020. In 2021, the Arizona minimum wage will increase each year by the cost of living.
Colorado
With the passage of Amendment 70, effective January 1, 2017, Colorado's minimum wage had been increased to $9.30 per hour and is increased annually by $0.90 each January 1 until it reaches $12 per hour effective January 2020. Thereafter, it will be adjusted annually for cost of living increases, as measured by the Consumer Price Index used for Colorado. For 2018, the minimum wage in Colorado is $10.20.
New Mexico
The minimum wage in New Mexico remains $7.50 per hour, which is greater than the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Some cities and municipalities in New Mexico have established their own minimum wage rates, including:
- Albuquerque: $8.75
- Bernalillo County: $8.65
- Santa Fe: $10.84
- Santa Fe County: $10.66
- Las Cruces: currently $9.20 to increase to $10.10 on January 1, 2019
As the country continues to look towards new legislation and regulation regarding wages, AndNowUKnow will continue to report on the shifting agricultural landscape. Until then, visit Western Growers' website to learn even more about all issues in Ag.