BOISE, ID - After just over a year in the role, Safeway’s head of the Eastern Division, Dan Valenzuela, has left to “pursue other opportunities,” parent company Albertsons said. The Washington Business Journal reported that the retailer has named Jim Perkins, Albertsons' Executive Vice President of Retail Operations and Special Projects and President of the Acme Stores Division, the new President of Safeway’s Eastern Division in Valenzuela’s stead.
While an anonymous Safeway executive reported to sources that the division has seen some decline, Perkins "knows the business, understands the market, and connects with people on a very positive level."
The division now under Perkins’ care encompasses 125 stores spanning Virginia, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
He has spent the last 30 years as a “pacesetting leader” in the grocery industry, the retailer says on its website, adding that he has a passion for the grocery business. He started out as an Albertson’s courtesy clerk in 1982, developing into a key leader for throughout several areas of the country.
Perkins had left Albertsons to joined Giant Foods, LLC as a Regional Vice President, returning to the retailer’s ranks in 2012 as the President of Acme Markets.
He has served as Vice President of Operations for Albertsons Inc., and Director of Operations for Albertsons LLC’s Southern Division, and was named to his EVP of Operations, East Region role in April 2015.
Albertsons operates stores under the Safeway, Acme, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaws, and several others.
COACHELLA VALLEY, CA – PMA Fresh Summit is a time when the fresh produce industry puts innovation front and center. This year, North Shore Living™, formerly known as North Shore Living Herbs®, has undergone a comprehensive and thoughtful rebranding effort which it will debut at the show. In addition, this year's event will fall on the company’s 30th anniversary to the day, and the company will celebrate with fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream cones at booth #3300.
“All of the products we grow and package are living with the roots attached for freshness. It’s the reason we are able to deliver the longest lasting fresh herbs and microgreens to retail. This rebrand elevates our focus on living, which includes products that create opportunities to enjoy life’s special moments in the kitchen and around the dinner table. Making those moments the center of who we are is important,” said Chris Wada, Marketing Manager, according to a press release. “While we absolutely love the simple and clean direction of our new design elements, living our mission to make every home cooked meal a special occasion is what we care about the most. Our goal is to bring the joy back to cooking, the conversations back to meals!”
As one of the leading hydroponic greenhouse growers and the company known for The Original Living Herbs, the rebranding consists of six key upgrades: redefined company mission, consolidation to a single brand, new company logo, packaging redesign, trade show booth, and website.
Wada continues, “The timing of PMA accelerated the debut of our rebrand to the trade by a couple of months. This now gives us more time to talk with retailers about their individual needs and create a custom merchandising, promotion, and social content plan for our consumer launch starting in January. That said, it is business as usual going into the busy holiday season with our existing product packaging and displays. We plan to begin transitioning customers to the new brand during the first quarter of the year, with a sunset date of April 1st for old packaging.”
Simple, honest, clean, and authentic is what the new packaging aspires to communicate. The new logo and packaging designs were developed in-house using a creative approach that included everything from branding consultants to consumer surveys to studying the psychology of using white space in design. This new packaging stands out on the shelf, puts the spotlight on the beautiful product and communicates living—both in the logo and by showing the plants roots on the front of the clamshell products. North Shore Living™ will replace its existing brands North Shore Living Herbs® and North Shore Organic Living®.
In addition to the rebrand, North Shore Living™ has recently completed a 6 million dollar greenhouse expansion to its Thermal, CA, location to meet the growing demand for both its conventional and organic living herbs, expanding available production of over 20 different varieties in packaged clamshells or potted sleeves.
With a focus on the future, the company which founders Leo and Suzette started in 1987 has come a long way. How fitting that this Saturday at PMA, marks their 30th anniversary to the day. There won’t be balloons or cake, but there will be fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream cones made from the freshest living herbs. Taste the living difference at booth #3300.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – This week, Braga Fresh is bringing its new value-added offerings to 2017 PMA Fresh Summit and partnering with the PMA, Sun-Maid, and Marie’s to celebrate the perfect pairing of its Josie’s Organics Power Mix and Spring Mix with Marie’s salad dressing and Sun-Maid’s golden raisins.
“We’re excited to team up with Marie’s and Sun-Maid; it’s a perfect match!” Alisa Teglia, Braga Fresh’s Director of Marketing told me. “PMA had a very unique opportunity present itself; they needed a salad sponsor for the Refuel Lounge, and they thought of Josie! I knew at that very moment that this would be a perfect fit for us, and what a great way to support PMA. We’re excited about the opportunity to have people on the show floor taste our product with Marie’s salad dressing and Sun-Maid toppings.”
With both its classic Josie's Organics Spring Mix and new Power Mix—the perfect blend of organic cut vegetables, combining green cabbage, julienne-cut broccoli stalk, green kale, and julienne-cut rainbow carrots—in tow, Braga Fresh is primed to turn show-goers into fans with its charming food-truck atmosphere and the winning combination of fresh veggies and accoutrement that is anything but secondary.
And while refreshment and food is cause, in and of itself, for celebration, the Refuel Lounge is also an important meeting place, an excellent location to both network and sample tasty products.
“The Refuel Lounge is in its second year, capitalizing on the popularity of food trucks,” noted Belinda Keota Harvey, Meeting & Tradeshow Manager for PMA. “Certainly, the food is a part of refueling as we all know how much high-energy Fresh Summit requires of each of us. Besides food and electric fuel [for cell phones and personal devices], these areas are places for attendees to refuel and recharge with each other – networking, new ideas, new business partners, deepening relationships, impromptu business meetings, and more. Connections to people, ideas and insights are a hallmark of Fresh Summit, and the lounges are great places to make all those connections.”
Marie’s will be on hand, highlighting its transition to non-GMO oil and recyclable PET bottles and jars across its entire product line, as well as featuring its latest salad dressing flavors. Featured flavors include Garlic Parmesan Italian Vinaigrette, Mediterranean Vinaigrette, Roasted Tomato with Parmesan and Basil Vinaigrette, and Avocado Poblano dressings—each primed to highlight Braga Fresh’s Josie’s Organics products.
“We know that consumers love to experiment with their salads by adding different flavors and textures, so we looked for some great partners to share the Refresh Lounge experience with,” said Ventura Foods Brand Manager Ivonne Camacho. “Marie’s has been a longtime supporter of the Produce Marketing Association and the Fresh Summit. When we launched the Marie’s Food Truck tour in 2016, we thought the ultimate culmination of the tour would be to have it appear at the Fresh Summit…Last years’ experience was terrific!”
Sun-Maid’s Rich Pauman, Sr. VP Retail Sales and Marketing, expressed similar sentiments, noting the extraordinary opportunity the PMA Refuel Lounge provides to get product in front of forward-thinking buyers and build relationships between companies with similar commitments to quality and tastiness.
“Sun-Maid participated last year with Marie’s Salad Dressings and we feel it is a great opportunity to present Sun-Maid Raisins to consumers and buyers outside of the normal snacking realm,” Rich noted. “This is the first time we are working with Braga Fresh, and Marie’s Salad Dressings is a brand, like Sun-Maid, noted for its quality and reputation throughout the industry. Sun-Maid, even though it is one of the most recognized brand names in the world, believes in partnering with other strong brands to increase the recognition and acceptance of all participating brands.”
In addition to the company’s participation in the Refuel Lounge, Alisa tells, me, Braga Freshwill be showcasing the company’s full line of Josie’s Organics fresh cut vegetables at PMA Fresh Summit, including:
- 10 oz. Power Mix
- 9 oz. Cauliflower Florets
- 12 oz. Green Beans
- 9 oz. Broccoli Florets
- 9 oz. Broccoli and Carrots
- 9 oz. Broccoli Slaw
- 9 oz. Vegetable Medley
Besides the Refuel Lounge, Belinda told me, PMA will also host a Refresh Lounge sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission and the Charging Lounge sponsored by the Greenhouse Produce Company. The Refresh Lounge will feature tasty potato beignets and gumbo, and the Charging Lounge will allow attendees to charge their devices.
“We are thrilled that these three sponsors chose to support the Refuel Lounge: Braga Fresh, Marie’s, and Sun-Maid Growers of California. Last year, Marie’s had the idea about the food truck and worked with Sun-Maid. It was so successful they wanted to repeat the experience this year, and we added Braga Fresh to the mix,” Belinda added. “While we’re talking about food and refueling at Fresh Summit, I will mention that I hope attendees are attentive to the food. From tasty items at the lounges to food at exhibitors’ booths to the food served at meals and receptions, Fresh Summit offers delectable treats that showcase the variety and innovation available with fruits and vegetables. We focus on the learnings and networking and business deals at Fresh Summit, as we should. Yet I’m also blown away by the food that surrounds us at this event. We need everyone to eat the way we all do at Fresh Summit!”
For more on the 2017 PMA Fresh Summit, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
MCALLEN, TX – In an effort to better serve tree fruit packers, the leading fresh produce equipment supplier Fox Solutions added a new capability to its full-polished stainless-steel Pouch Bagger. The machine’s advanced “soft fill” feature now allows the Pouch Bagger to gently handle apples, peaches, pears, and plums to minimize bruising during the packing process.
“Our team is happy to have come up with such a valuable solution for our tree fruit customers,” said Aaron Fox, President of Fox Solutions, in a press release. “Since introducing our Pouch Bagger last year, we have had a phenomenal response from customers who have wanted an efficient solution to meet the growing demand for pouch bagged produce. The majority of baggers on the market can pack fruit of all kind, but few are fresh produce specific like ours. There simply isn’t a comparable piece of equipment that handles the fruit in a gentle enough way to prevent unnecessary bruising.”
First introduced in 2016, Fox Solutions’ Pouch Bagger is a one-of-a-kind machine engineered to handle a wide variety of fresh produce items while simplifying the pouch bagging process. It delivers maximum bagging efficiency, holding 300 empty bags at a time and filling up to 30 bags a minute.
To see the Pouch Bagger in action, stop by booth #1845 at PMA Fresh Summit where the Fox Solutions team will be demonstrating its Wicketed Bagger, Newtec weighers, and Pouch Bagger. Hope to see you there!
EL SEGUNDO, CA - If you told 13-year-old Jessica she’d one day get to write an article about the star of Titanic, I likely would have fully hyperventilated. Leonardo DiCaprio has joined the world of produce, investing in buzz-making, plant-based burger company Beyond Meat. With this investment, Leo joins the likes of Bill Gates, Twitter Co-Founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams, former McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson, the Humane Society, and Tyson Foods.
“Livestock production is a major contributor to carbon emissions,” DiCaprio said in a statement upon his investment. “Shifting from animal meat to the plant-based meats developed by Beyond Meat is one of the most powerful measures someone can take to reduce their impact on our climate.”
DiCaprio is no stranger to philanthropic work, having been a vocal campaigner for climate change awareness for several years, as well as previously donating upwards of $20 million to combat environmental impacts through his own foundation. On Beyond Meat’s website, the company outlines its mission as the following, “To create mass-market solutions that perfectly replace animal protein with plant protein. We are dedicated to improving human health, positively impacting climate change, conserving natural resources, and respecting animal welfare.” Suffice it to say, the duo are a match made in environmentalist heaven.
“Leo is serious about climate change,” Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown told Fortune. “He’s a really good ally for us,” adding that “this is not a celebrity deal. He is someone who genuinely believes in what we’re doing and wants to help grow it.”
As we previously reported, Beyond Meat recently increased its distribution seven times over, landing the plant-based patties in Kroger, Albertsons, and Safeway locations, as well as inking an exclusive distribution deal with Sysco.
DiCaprio’s prior investments in the environmentally friendly food space include those with plant-based snack company Hippeas and sustainable seafood company LoveTheWild, according to Fortune.
SALINAS, CA – As one of the leaders in agricultural innovation and healthy, value-added fresh foods Taylor Farms continues to expand its offerings by introducing two new delicious and timesaving Stir Fry Kit meal options to its already existing line. These convenient and healthy kits are easily customizable and cook in just five minutes.
“Stir Fry kits continue to be a popular choice for consumers looking for healthy, customizable dinner options,” said Sydney Burlison, Product Manager, Taylor Farms Retail, according to a press release. “Expanding the flavor options creates additional offerings for all palates and preferences.”
New flavors include:
- Pad Thai with Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy, carrots, broccoli, green cabbage, and snap peas or snow peas with a Pad Thai sauce.
- Coconut Curry with Brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, and snap peas or snow peas with coconut curry sauce.
Existing flavors include:
- Teriyaki with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, kale, snow peas, red cabbage, and broccoli with a teriyaki sauce.
- Ginger Garlic with bok choy, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, kale, snow peas, and green cabbage with a ginger garlic sauce.
- Sesame Chili with bok choy, green cabbage, snow peas, and broccoli with a sesame chili sauce.
- Mandarin Orange with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, kale, and snow peas with a mandarin orange sauce.
Taylor Farms continues its commitment to creating unique, on-trend, and convenient products with the intention of helping customers save time in the kitchen. Through dedication to family, Taylor Farms remains determined to create products that will save time to make time.
For all the latest new products from around the fresh produce industry, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
TERRA BELLA, CA — With thousands of grower members in California and Arizona, Sunkist welcomes a new family farm into its operations after Porterville Citrus, a Sunkist affiliated citrus packer-shipper, acquired LoBue Citrus’ packing operations. In the agreement, the LoBue family will continue to own and operate its 1,000 acre family farm, extending its family’s heritage through the Sunkist cooperative.
“LoBue Citrus has a rich history in the industry, and we are pleased to be able to help them continue that legacy through our organization,” said Jim Phillips, President of Porterville Citrus, in a press release. “The purchase also marks further growth for Porterville Citrus, positioning us for a strong season ahead.”
In the upcoming 2017-2018 season, Porterville Citrus will integrate the LoBue Citrus packing facility in Lindsay into its operations and also add a large portion of the organization’s grower network, increasing the Navel orange, mandarin, lemon, and specialty acreage of Porterville Citrus and the Sunkist cooperative as a whole.
“It’s great to start the season by adding more high-quality volume to our mix,” said Russ Hanlin, President & CEO of Sunkist Growers.
Commemorating 125 years of values and legacy, the Sunkist cooperative of family farms offers more than 40 fresh citrus varieties from thousands of family-owned farms where traditional growing practices, stewardship of natural resources, and a dedication to innovation are proudly passed through the generations. Founded under the principle that more can be accomplished by working together, Sunkist continues to promote a culture of family and collaboration with growers and customers to drive positive results for all.
For more produce industry news, stick with us at AndNowUKnow.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - In the chaotic landscape of PMA Fresh Summit, sometimes all you are looking for is a nice place to kick your feet up and enjoy the busy hum of the show floor. Lucky for attendees of this year’s convention, Fresh Solutions Network (FSN) is once again bringing the FSN Spud Zone to tailgate and potato lovers alike. Setting up camp at FSN booth #1507, the company will be fully equipped with tasty bites, tailgating fun, and a closer look at the new Side Delights® A Cut Above® fresh-cut potato line.
“Tailgating, as you know, is a popular activity either before, during, or after sports games, where friends come together to celebrate the day and eat tasty, yet easy to make food,” company President and CEO Kathleen Triou tells me. “Ask anyone, tailgating is mostly about the food, even though some type of a sporting event provides the anchor for the day. Whether you tailgate in a parking lot, a driveway, or a backyard, Side Delights potatoes are a great addition to the menu.”
Also this year, the FSN booth will highlight the launch of the company’s Side Delights A Cut Above fresh-cut potato items, which offer consumers fresh, never frozen, washed and pre-cut potato products that can work for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack menus, and, of course, tailgating!
“Add these potatoes to other items on the grill by cooking in a foil packet, or heat up in a hot plate with your favorite herbs, spices, and other veggies,” Kathleen says as we talk about the new Cut Above line. “Its simple, healthy, good eatin’. We will be sampling this new product line in our booth, so be sure to come over and taste our Red Diced Skillet potatoes and Carnival Cut Fries.”
This year will also mark the first PMA Fresh Summit where FSN will be a title sponsor of the event. The company is one of four breakfast sponsors at this year’s show, providing Red potatoes from North Dakota out of FSN’s NoKota Packers facility to make Side Delights Potatoes O’Brien at Saturday morning’s General Session.
“PMA Fresh Summit is the only national show all year we exhibit at where ALL our Network members participate,” Kathleen explains. “Generally, we tend to focus on the regional shows as they are more relevant to the 8 geo-diverse partners of Fresh Solutions Network, but we make a special effort to show up in a big way at PMA Fresh Summit with a large booth and a food-related theme that really leverages how and where food is being consumed.”
In addition to FSN’s new A Cut Above line, the company will also be sampling its Side Delights Flavorables® potato product line, which pairs fresh potatoes with bold, globally-inspired seasoning blends created specifically to bring out the best flavors in fresh potatoes. Visitors to the booth will be able to try both the Chimichurri Seasoning, which includes roasted garlic, cilantro, and lemon, as well as the Smokin’ Tomato Seasoning featuring roasted tomatoes, garlic, and chives.
And this will not be the last big bang we hear out of FSN for 2017 either. Kathleen tells me to stay tuned as the company wraps up another Food Blogger Challenge, this year tackling #PotatoPowerBowl, with new one bowl, potato-focused meal recipes.
“As we look to the end of 2017, many of our Network partners are still harvesting with AMAZING potato quality,” Kathleen adds. “2018 will be a great year for potato consumers as they will be enjoying beautiful, delicious, and nutritious spuds all year.”
Want to learn more about FSN’s new products and get in on the tailgate action for yourself? Visit FSN booth #1507, and prepare to enter the Spud Zone.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – The season seems to be speeding up around the ANUK offices as the industry begins to gear up for 2017 PMA Fresh Summit, showcasing clever new offerings and culinary applications for fresh produce. One company on the forefront of innovations and culinary creations is Country Sweet Produce and its Bako Sweet® brand sweet potatoes. As first-time exhibitors at the event, the company is making its debut by highlighting the versatility of the sweet potato category and the uniqueness of its newly enhanced value-added line.
I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Gina Pettit, Marketing and Specialty Sales Manager, and learn a little more about the company’s plans for PMA Fresh Summit.
“As first timers we wanted to make a splash, as we are very excited to showcase our new line of value-added items to a large audience. We have renowned chef Mike Thompson, from NOLA Kitchen, and he has made the booth all about the amazing versatility with sweet potatoes—and showing off our microwavable steamer bag by creating three delicious, Cajun infused recipes, all within 10 minutes, start-to-finish!”
“People are becoming more and more excited about all they can do with sweetpotatoes, so when the opportunity is presented to show them how easy it is to create these caliber of recipes – it’s always a fun time,” Gina told me. “The Chefs we have worked with this past year really pushed forward with these Bako Sweet® creations, as you will see at the booth."
In addition to all the fun at Booth 4534, Bako Sweet is featuring new organic offerings in PMA’s Fresh Ideas Showcase.
“In the Fresh Ideas Showcase, we will display our new 4 count Organic Sweet Potato tray packed in a 100 percent recyclable and compostable tray,” Gina noted, explaining that packaging is key when it comes to a category like sweet potatoes. “Merchandising is so important – especially with value-added items. Consumers are looking for convenient healthy eating options and these items can often get lost in the mix if not merchandised properly."
With an array of packaged options suitable to the needs of a variety of consumers, Bako Sweet is helping elevate the sweet potato category, educate eaters via direct to consumer marketing, and tap into increasingly health-conscious consumer trends. Gina noted that the sweet potato is a super food packed with vitamins and nutrients that are extremely beneficial and rich for any healthy eating lifestyle.
“As a company we are determined to promote healthy eating lifestyles. Understanding each consumer is different, we try to execute new concepts matching different phases of life.” Gina added. “Sweet potatoes are approved for any healthy eating trend, i.e. Whole 30 and Paleo. They level out blood sugar levels, hormones, and provide a consistent source of energy throughout the day. We want to encourage people to eat more sweets.”
Attendees at the 2017 PMA Fresh Summit can check out Bako Sweet’s on-trend offerings at booth 4534. AndNowUKnow will continue to report on all things fresh produce.
DELTA, BC - PMA Fresh Summit is so close you can almost taste it, and if you are Village Farms, “taste” will be a big part of this year’s events, along with a new tomato variety and exclusive varieties that are Better for the Story, demos and do it yourself events, and unique giveaway opportunities.
New to the fold this year is Lorabella Blossom®, an intensely orange snacking tomato variety that has been described as ‘blissfully bright,’ according to a press release. The Lorabella Blossom is part of the authentic San Marzano family of products exclusive to Village Farms and is great for snacking but also wonderful for cooking and enticing those at-home chefs. This year, tomato lovers can find the Lorabella Blossom in a 10 oz clamshell and with 10 oz bag styles on the horizon. Village Farms has some fun product demos planned as well as a full schedule of interactive DIY’s (do it yourself) at its booth.
“Visitors to the booth are in for some real fun. We are fortunate to have Brand Ambassador Kristina La Rue, Registered Dietitian with us this year,” Helen L. Aquino, Director of Brand Marketing & Communication, says. “We have some surprising events planned that are interactive like a DIY cucumber hand scrub or a smashing tomato toast demo, as well as a whole schedule of fun things to taste and try. Kristina will also be doing some sweet giveaways for those who take part in the events.”
Brand Ambassador LaRue, the mind behind the blog Love & Zest, fancies herself a sports dietitian, food photographer, mom, and NFL agent’s wife living in Central Florida. She creates healthy recipes that are delicious, quick and great fuel for an active lifestyle.
“I’m looking forward to my first PMA in New Orleans as a brand ambassador for Village Farms. Fresh Summit is a great opportunity to engage with everyone about all of the company’s fabulous tasting products,” LaRue shares. “I especially love Village Farms flavorful exclusive tomato varieties, like their newest Lorabella Blossom®. It has a unique and alluring flavor all its own. I am really looking forward to sharing many innovative, fun, healthy ways I have created to use their products. So please come by to sample a dish, take part in a demo, or just to say hello.”
For a bit more of a teaser, in addition to Lorabella Blossom™, Village Farms will feature its other unique and exclusive varieties including Heavenly Villagio Marzano®, Cabernet Estate Reserve®, Cherry no 9 Fall in Love Again®, True Rebel Mix®, Sinfully Sweet Campari®, Lip Smack’n Grape®, Delectable TOV®, Savory Roma®, Juicy Beefsteak®, Scrumptious Mini® cucumbers, Luscious Seedless Long English® cucumbers, Sweet Bell® peppers in customer preferred pack sizes.
To check out more of what Village Farms is all about, stop by booth #453 and try some of the company’s treats or just say hello!