EDINBURG, TX – It’s that time of year again when eating healthy is on everyone’s mind, as the New Year offers the perfect time to start anew. And for those looking for something fresh and leafy to satisfy hunger cravings, greens hailing from the Lone Star State are a nutritionally rich option, delicious cooked or raw, that are in season and taking on the grocery aisle.
I caught up with Little Bear Produce’s Jeff Brechler to chat about the current Texas greens season.
“We’re currently a solid two months into the season, which means we’re about one-third of the way through our vegetable production in Texas,” Jeff tells me. “Quality has been above average despite the few bouts of weather that has primarily affected growth. But markets are good and active, and we’re expecting a spike both in market and demand due to weather affecting other growing regions.”
Between the California fires and the southeastern storms, weather has given everyone quite the time across the United States, Texas included, as they continue to face frequent freezes and its second snowfall of two to four inches in the past 114 years. But, despite these challenges, Jeff notes that sales dollars are up this year over last.
“It’s been a wild ride this year,” Jeff shares. “November and December are cooler in temperature, and slow growth of product has manifested as a result. While we are ahead of ourselves harvest-wise, the slow growth is starting to affect our yield. We’re having to harvest when the plant is much younger. However, given that sales dollars are up this year, and the lower yields indicate stronger pricing.”
With months left in the season, Texas greens’ presence on grocery shelves is far from over. Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for more crop and market updates.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Target is backing away from its partnership with Instacart, now that it has acquired its own delivery arm through Shipt. As we reported previously, the retailer acquired Shipt for $550 million last month.
"We want to offer a great experience through Shipt," Target’s Senior Manager of Communications/PR, Eddie Baeb, said, according to the StarTribune. "So obviously that's where we're going to focus going forward."
While he confirmed plans to exit its Instacart partnership, Baeb told the news source that there is no set timeline when delivery via Instacart from Target stores will end. Currently, the service is offered in Twin Cities, Chicago, and San Francisco.
As for Instacart, while the company declined to comment at the time of the article, a source familiar with the matter told StarTribune that Target's Instacart business in those three markets account for less than 1 percent of the delivery company’s entire volume.
Instacart’s partners also include Costco, Whole Foods, and Cub Foods, among others.
What other effects will Target’s latest acquisition have on its operations, and the rest of our industry? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
NASHVILLE, TN - The Annual American Farm Bureau Convention welcomed President Donald Trump to close out its General Session in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday, in which the leader took the opportunity to restate his commitment to farmers and rural America. Trump is the first president to address the convention in 25 years.
With Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Tennessee lawmakers by his side, Trump signed two executive orders designed to increase the reach of broadband into rural areas and to support broadband tower facilities in rural America, according to CBS News. During his address to the convention, Trump argued that these moves, along with the recently introduced Republican tax law, would allow more farmers to keep money in their pockets and reinvest in their companies.
"In every decision we make, we are honoring America's proud farming legacy," Trump said. "Years of crushing taxes, crippling regulations, and corrupt politics left our communities hurting, our economy stagnant, and millions of hardworking Americans completely forgotten. But they, guess what, are not forgotten anymore."
This speech and the executive orders focused on improving rural broadband connectivity come on the heels of Monday’s report from Trump's rural America task force, which highlighted the need for better internet access. According to the Federal Communications Commission's 2016 Broadband Progress Report, 39 percent of rural Americans—roughly 23 million people—lack access to high-speed internet.
"That is why today in a few minutes I will take the first step to expand access to broadband internet in rural America so you can compete on a level playing field, which you were not able to do. Not fair," the President said.
Trump also took a few moments to discuss his administration’s progress in renegotiating NAFTA. He told the crowd, that the deal is "under negotiation as we speak." Senior administration officials told reporters Friday that the administration would be sure to see that rural U.S. agriculture interests are fairly treated and have access to global markets, according to CBS.
To learn more about President Trump’s address to the American Farm Bureau, read the full transcript on the White House website here.
FISHERS, NY – In acknowledgement of the New York Apple Association’s (NYAA) quality, leadership, and innovation in production agriculture and agribusiness in New York State, the New York State Agricultural Society (NYSAS) awarded it with the Business of the Year Award for 2018 in a ceremony in Syracuse.
“NYAA is pleased and honored to receive this notable acknowledgment,” said NYAA's CEO, Cynthia Haskins, in a press release. “To be recognized by the New York State Agricultural Society is one of our Association’s finest highlights and we are proud with gratitude.”
The NYAA received this award, not only on its own behalf, but on behalf of the New York’s 700 apple growers, with whom it has worked to promote the state’s apple industry.
“This award recognizes qualities New York growers, board members, and staff demonstrate daily in their commitment to promoting New York apples,” said NYAA Board Chairman Jason Woodworth of Lamont Fruit Farm, Inc. (District 6 - Orleans County).
NYAA works with New York’s apple growers to reach customers through a variety of means—including television, radio, and social media—to promote not only the distinct flavor of New York apples, but also to promote ciders, sauces, and custom products. With the receipt of this award, NYAA joins the ranks of previous recipients including Chobani, Hudson Valley Fresh, and Eden Valley Growers, Inc.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – AgroFresh is kicking off the New Year with a new commercial agreement with It’s Fresh!, investing $10 million (£7.63 million) into the British food tech company to accelerate global expansion and the development of planned new products.
“AgroFresh is always looking for ways to reach new markets, and we are delighted to join forces with It’s Fresh!” said AgroFresh CEO Jordi Ferre in a press release. “We’re excited to tap into the innovative thinking and expertise in food freshness technology that It’s Fresh! offers and I expect big things of this new collaboration.”
It’s Fresh! is the company behind a ground-breaking technology that extends the life, quality, freshness, and flavor of produce. Its discreet green and white filters, which absorb the ripening hormone ethylene, have had a huge impact on food waste and are now being used by leading supermarkets in the U.K,. the U.S., and Europe, including Walmart, Albertsons, Safeway, Morrisons, Waitrose, M&S, and Carrefour.
“We’re delighted with this investment from such a respected industry leader. Given their considerable experience in post-harvest produce management, it’s a perfect fit for our business,” It’s Fresh! CEO Peter Shalson said. “This alignment with AgroFresh will allow access to its 3,000 customers as well as its highly-respected R&D centers worldwide, assisting quicker development of new products, and enabling our technology to reduce food waste in many more countries around the world.”
With food waste posing one of the biggest threats to our industry and the environment—statistics from leading food charity Love Food Hate Waste show seven million tons of food and drink are thrown away from U.K. homes every year, primarily due to not using fresh produce quickly enough after purchasing—It’s Fresh! and AgroFresh are emphasizing freshness in order to reduce market waste and help save households money by eliminating wasted food from household costs.
“Both companies share a common culture and an unwavering commitment to developing new solutions to the growing problem of food waste, especially at retail. Under this agreement, we will work cooperatively to grow our existing retail and grower products and to develop new solutions for markets and crops not presently served,” continued Shalson. “As a business, we’re dedicated to making fresh produce more available and affordable and reducing global food waste in an ethical and sustainable way. An investment like this can really help us get closer to achieving this.”
The companies’ respective R&D teams will work together to further their mutual goal of improving food quality, shelf-life, and freshness of produce.
For more on what’s shaking up the produce industry, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
MONTEREY, CA – It’s finally here! General attendee registration for the third annual Organic Produce Summit is open today, Monday, January 8, on the OPS website. And if you book now during the month of January, you can save $100 off regular pricing for a special “Early Bird” deal. With treats like this—and more to come—you won’t want to miss this event dedicated exclusively to bringing together organic fresh produce growers, shippers, and processors with retailers and buying organizations across North America.
“The response from the organic community has been phenomenal as we enter our third year of OPS. We’re grateful for the support our sponsors and the retail and buying communities have shown for OPS and look forward to making OPS 2018 the best ever,” said Susan Canales, President, in a press release. “We are finalizing most of the educational sessions and have a great line-up of keynote presentations scheduled. Combined with a sold-out trade show, we’ll have an energetic two days of information, education, and networking for over 1,000 attendees.”
Slated for July 11-12 at the newly-renovated Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, CA, this year’s OPS 2018 features a series of educational breakout sessions, keynote presentations, and a sold-out exhibit floor featuring 130 producers of organic fresh produce. Retailer and buying organizations also have the opportunity to visit one of four scheduled field tours, featuring the nations’ largest producers of organic fresh fruits and vegetables.
And don’t forget, if you book in the month of January, you can save $100 off regular pricing for a reduced rate of $795, which covers all activities at OPS including all meals, opening reception, educational sessions, and keynote presentations, as well admittance to the sold-out trade show floor.
For more news on what’s up-and-coming in the produce industry, keep checking back with AndNowUKnow.
CALIFORNIA – One of the most incredible views California has to offer is that of its farming and mountainous regions, which are currently being warned of incoming storms. According to the National Weather Service, commuters and mountain travelers from Northern California are on the look-out for hazardous road conditions as a massive storm moves into the regions.
AccuWeather explains that mudslides are a current threat to the Southern California regions most recently affected by the fires. The storms will affect most, if not all, of the state in one way or another.
Causing the weather advisory in Northern California is a rough of low pressure hailing from the Northwest that will settle over the valley today; according to the Sacramento Bee, Cory Mueller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the storm system will drop inches of rain and snow.
“Commuters’ routes will likely be pretty slow tomorrow morning and evening because of the rain,” Mueller said.
Starting at about 5 a.m. in Sacramento, California, and continuing throughout the day, rainfall will most likely come in between 1 to 2 inches. Temperatures will range in the mid-50s, and wind gusts will reach up to 35 miles per hour.
Sierra Nevada residents should expect rainfall to come in between 3 to 4 inches. On top of that, a few feet of snow is expected to fall in areas above 7,000 feet, according to Mueller.
Because of the unusually high levels of snow expected to fall in the areas, Interstate 80 over Donner Pass and Interstate 50 over Echo Summit have both received a Winter Weather Advisory from the National Weather Service, which starts Tuesday at 4 a.m. Travels in the regions should be on high alert for slipper roads, gusty winds, and low visibility, the advisory explains.
Those residing in the Northern parts of the Golden State are not the only ones warned of unusually dangerous situations. Southern California regions who recently dealt with the swooping fires are now worried about mudslides and debris flows with the onset of the storms.
“This storm will be significant for Southern California due to the dry start to the rainy season,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Jordan Root.
After explaining the circumstances of the storms—which are resulting in the Santa Barbara County evacuations of Thomas, Sherpa, Whittier, and Rey Fire Burn Areas—AccuWeather goes on to express that these storms will most likely be the biggest for Los Angeles and other Southern California cities since last February.
Root then stated, “The foothill and mountain areas, especially areas facing south and west, will receive the heaviest rain with 3 to 6 inches possible. This may lead to flooding and debris flows, especially near burn-scar areas.”
In Southern California regions, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles will be hit the hardest with rainfall between Monday night and Tuesday midday. As these storms move past California on Tuesday, they are likely to hit Las Vegas and the nearby regions' desert terrain, much to the arid regions’ dismay. In this circumstance, there is a possible danger of flash flooding.
Those driving in the areas should be particularly attentive, as there is a possibility of hydroplaning or being caught in mudslides or debris flows.
As these weather conditions affect both the land and the roads, AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you up-to-date with the latest.
WENATCHEE, WA – Although apple sales were down more than 7 percent in both volume and dollars in November of 2017, when compared to the previous year, and despite a larger crop nationally, the apple varieties which have fared well have done so as a result of strong promotion.
So, a solution emerges, retailers and growers may combat deflated sales by using promotional campaigns, many of which, like Lil Snappers® and Artisan Organics™, are already in place.
Brianna Shales, Communications Manager, spoke to the success of the Honeycrisp apple in a press release, “Honeycrisp supplies have increased nationally year-over-year, which is why we are seeing significant volume increases. It’s also noteworthy that dollars are not growing as much. This is the result of increased promotion activity on Honeycrisp.”
The Honeycrisp’s success contrasts deflated sales for Gala, which were down 7.9 percent year-over-year, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Red Delicious, which were down nearly 15 percent.
“The apples from Washington State are down a size on average this season. This means that shoppers who purchase bulk, and the same count of apples every time they place them in the cart, are picking up ten percent less than they would in a year with average or larger sized fruit. This reality means that retailers have to get creative with promotions in order to prevent their apple category from missing the mark on volume and dollars,” Shales continued. “Honeycrisp can’t be the only apple on ad as multi-variety ads are key. Include Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, Red Delicious, and select club apple varieties in your late winter and spring ads in order to ensure the apple category is healthy. Tote bagging bulk apples at retail can also encourage larger purchases.”
One category which certainly saw no depression was organic, with organic apple sales up a percentage from 2016, even despite higher average retail prices. An extended organic season, supported by more organic storage facilities with dynamic controlled atmosphere technology, is sure to further bolster sales in coming months.
“It’s exciting for us to see organic apples make a bigger impact in the apple category. Stemilt’s volume of Artisan Organics apples has increased significantly since 2016, especially on key, high-flavor varieties like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, and Piñata®. We’ve been growing organically since 1989 but have focused on increased volumes of the varieties that organic shoppers want in order to help retailers grow the category in 2017 and beyond,” said Shales.
And, while club varieties experience success as well, it seems things do not look so grim for apple sales on the whole, “There are many club varieties available now, and the New Year often marks the start of the season for many. Our signature variety, Piñata, is included in that exclusive group and we are excited about the crop quality and wide range of merchandising options available to retailers looking to promote the tropical apple in their stores during these cold months,” Shales finished.
To keep up to date on all rises and falls in the produce industry, stay tuned to AndKnowUKnow.
CHICAGO, IL - Chicago is the home of the latest distribution center to be built as part of Whole Foods Market’s takeover of the grocery landscape. In addition to boosting access to major transportation avenues for the retailer’s 26 Chicago-area stores, the facility is also expected to serve an additional 34 locations across the Midwest and Eastern Canada.
“The Pullman neighborhood is an ideal location for our new distribution center,” said Midwest Regional President Michael Bashaw. “The proximity to major transportation and other business needs will help us to better serve our customers and support our stores in the Midwest and Ontario. We are now closer to the majority of our stores, shortening delivery time, and, in the long-term, we have plenty of additional space for expansion to support growth.”
The 16.5 acres plot in Chicago’s historic Pullman neighborhood is expected to employ 100 team members, many of whom moved from the company’s previous facility in Munster, Indiana. The new distribution center will allow Whole Foods Market stores to replenish products faster, with the location expecting to move an average of 200,000 cases each week to locations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, and Ontario.
Built with an emphasis on environmental improvements, the facility also comes equipped with the following attributes, according to a press release:
- Approximately 20 percent more electrically efficient
- Saves more than 1.3 million kilowatts per year and
- Saves more than $150,000 annually
- Natural refrigerants
- Occupancy light sensors
- High-efficiency interior and exterior lighting
- Thermosiphon oil cooling
- Redistribution of refrigeration waste to heat floors
“Whole Foods' decision to move its Midwest distribution center to Chicago is a vote of confidence in the city and another sign of the economic renaissance underway in the historic Pullman community,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. “The new distribution center, coming on the heels of new Whole Foods Markets in Englewood and Hyde Park, is bringing more investment and opportunity to Chicago communities.”
Also announced this morning is the appointment of Whole Foods veteran Nicole Wescoe to Northeast Region President. Wescoe has spent 24 years with the company, working her way up from a team leader in the bakery, specialty and grocery departments, to Regional Vice President of the Northeast region. She returned to the Mid-Atlantic roots in 2013, where she most recently served as the area’s Regional Vice President.
“I am beyond excited to return to the Northeast to lead the region in partnership with our accomplished team,” shared Wescoe in a separate press release. “The Northeast is a Whole Foods Market leader when it comes to operations and culinary innovation and the opportunity to build on that existing strength and elevate the customer experience in our stores is incredibly inspiring.”
Whole Foods looks to kick off 2018 with a bang, and as the retailer continues to spread its wings under Amazon’s leadership, AndNowUKnow will keep sharing updates.
ST. LOUIS, MO – As we take confident strides into 2018, sure of the successes this year will bring, it’s no surprise that news is hitting of innovative ways our industry can be made more efficient. Tapping into this eagerness is Schnuck Markets, whose new robot going by the name of Tally will be roaming the aisles to check on out-of-stock items and prices.
“This is a big learning experience for us to really understand what the capability is,” said David Steck, Vice President of IT and Infrastructure, according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The robot lacks limbs, but has a base that is 38 inches tall, which can extend to get taller and reach shelves. On top rests a camera on a circular base, and it also has two blinking eyes on a its digital screen. Some of these traits seem familiar to our own, but none so much as the robot’s need for breaks. When it is low on charge, the robot finds its way back to a charging port to reenergize before it glides through the aisles again. Further, much like myself, it steers clear of congested areas, avoiding customers by stopping in its tracks when approached.
The tests for the robots lasted six weeks over the summer and were hosted at three of the Maryland Heights-based company’s 100 stores: Richmond Heights, Town and Country, and Kirkwood locations. While first tests will be held in Missouri, the company is considering expanding to more of its stores. According to Inside Unmanned Systems, the company will unleash the second phase of its robotic plans in 2018.
The robots are fairly light, coming in at 30 pounds each, and are equipped with sensors to navigate the store’s aisles. It sends details about what areas of the store are not fully stocked back to management so that staff can tend to the holes on the shelves quickly.
The implementation of these robots is one way the company is endeavoring to better understand its stock position, but price errors are another bonus to the data collection because they will be examined, as well.
“In a perfect world, you know what’s shipped to the store and you know what’s sold,” Steck said, according to the Inside Unmanned Systems article. “But it’s not a perfect world. Things get dropped or fall under the shelves and people steal stuff. And what gets delivered to the store isn’t always what you think gets delivered to the store. We needed to solve for out of stock conditions and improve the customer experience. One of the vehicles we can use is Tally.”
The machines will streamline store performance, increase sales, and cut expenses, according to San Francisco-based Simbe Robotics, which boasts of the technology. The reason for these boosts in store sales and efficiency is the quick identification process that the robots offer, said Simbe’s CEO Brad Bogolea, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
“The goal of Tally is to create more of a feedback mechanism,” Bogolea said in the same article. “Although most retailers have good supply chain intelligence, and point-of-sale data on what they’ve sold, what’s challenging for retailers is understanding the true state of merchandise on shelves. Everyone sees value in higher quality, more frequent information across the entire value chain.”
Since Simbe’s 2014 beginnings, it has put Tally robots in many grocery stores throughout the country, even landing in some San Francisco-based Targets last year. What makes the advent of these robots so interesting is their use within the store—this differs from other robots being used to assemble vehicles or within the shipping process.
After the testing phase, Simbe was able to give a more lucid account for just how amazing Tally is.
“By the time a human completes an audit, the store has already undergone dynamic change, so you don’t get a complete look at things,” Bogolea said, according to Inside Unmanned Systems. “Tally can analyze 15,000 to 30,000 products per hour depending on the size of the store and how much the robot has to traverse.”
Bologea told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Schnucks has been a progressive grocery and Simbe looks forward to having a great partnership with the chain. This is one more step into the future, as companies look for new ways to keep ahead of the curve in 2018.
But those fearing this is the end of personal relationship that is inherently involved in customer service can rest assured that these robots are not intended to take that special bond away, as it is a way to gather information about store merchandise. In fact, Steck told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, that this is an opportunity for workers to merchandise, receive the products, and ultimately stock it since there are no arms on the robot.
“This is collecting an immense amount of data about the store and shelf conditions, and the analytics we’ve derived mirrors some of the data we already have, which becomes very powerful as well,” Steck said. “From an industry perspective, I think other retailers are going to recognize this. It’s already starting to grow. But retailers who don’t have the right infrastructure are going to struggle to keep up.”
How will the inclusion of these robots assist in the stores' sales and efficiency? AndNowUKnow will continue to keep you up-to-date with the latest industry trends.